


The Black Inn

by Rickylee



Series: Fantasy au [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Dwarves, Elves, Fantasy AU, Gen, JeanMarco if you squint, Mild Language, Non-Binary Hange Zoë, Other Species, bertlturtle has a 2 sided axe half his size, dont worry i have plans for them fellow shippers, slow build reibert, ymir and krista are canon lesbos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-18
Updated: 2014-09-12
Packaged: 2018-02-13 18:29:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 33,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2160657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rickylee/pseuds/Rickylee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The gang makes it to the human town of Ruhe were they meet the Shinganshina trio within the walls of the black bar "The Rogue Titan".</p><p>After Bertholdt voices his concern on traveling with an unknown, Eren reveals his past to them in the dead of night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Eren Has A Nictating Membrane

**Author's Note:**

> lmao I wrote more. This is shortly after "The strange duo" I'm new to posting here, so I'm still figuring out the kinks and stuff..  
> Enjoy!

Bertholdt had officially given up on being nervous and anxious around more than three people around him in the open. It's useless he realizes, they're perfectly safe.... well let's just say Bertholdt doesn't think about the attention they attract anymore. Not after Eren nearly ate one highwayman and Armin nearly blew up another. He's even pretty sure Mikasa sliced someone in half, he doesn't know (not sure he really _wants_ to know) he was pretty ocupied with an attacking goblin at the time.

Bertholdt lays on his back under the stars, listening to the sleepy moans and snores of his companions. He isn't very sleepy yet, and Reiner is on the other side of camp on watch duty; so he reflects on the day he met the Shinganshina Trio...

* * *

They had actually made it to the human settlement, Ruhe, that evening. Jean admitting he was looking for Eren for a particular reason he didn't bother to announce to everyone else, Marco threw a significant glance at Jean. He does that a lot, Bertl notices. Bertl felt better knowing why the humans were traveling the exact opposite of Trost, their final destination. Ruhe was a rather large town. It contains both brick and wooden buildings, tall and short; all manners of races walk and converse on the cobble stone streets.

Marco hops off his horse, throwing the reins to Jean as he did. "I'll go find us an inn we can stay in, you guys go find Eren, he's probably at the bar." He jogs off before Reiner could voice 'What bar?'

Jean sighs irritated. " _The Rogue Titan_. That's the bar. Eren _technically_ owns it. They stay there whenever they're not on the road." Jean kicks his horse a bit turning down a wide path, he points his chin toward a black building. "That's it."

"Wow!" Sasha exclaims, "Do you think Armin's here? I have a book of spells he might like." She slides off her horse digging into her saddlebag as Connie and the rest of them tie their mounts to the posts provided.

"Mikasa and Armin don't go anywhere without Eren, you know that." Connie shrugs, pulling out valuables and stuffing them in a sack before slinging it over his shoulder. Don't want them to get stolen you know. Everyone follows suit.

A very strange girl _materializes_ in front of Berthold (well maybe she doesn't really materialize, but she's just suddenly _there_ ), she has dark shoulder length hair and gray - almost black - eyes that show more emotion than a blank look should. The halfling jumps back in surprise hand reaching behind him for his axe, her blade half way out of the sheath. "Jean, Connie, Sasha, who are these people." She points her delicate chin at him and Reiner, her untrusting glare unwavering.

Reiner is tense behind him, Betholdt slowly brings his hand down hoping it will show he means no harm. Reiner slowly relaxes his stance, but is no less alert.

"Mikasa! No, no they're friends, the giant it Bertholdt and the blond is Reiner. They're cool people!" Connie jumps to their defense. Mikasa relaxes, her hard stare turning soft.

"Sorry... Mikasa." she holds out her hand and introductions are quickly made. She seems... _inhuman_ to Bertholdt, something's not quite right. Reiner voices his thoughts loud and unafraid, making half the people around him to cringe.

"What are you?"

Mikasa gives him a kind smile, "Elf." she tucks hair behind her long and pointed ears. Mikasa turns her attention to Bertl, he knows what's going to be asked, but he sweats nervously anyway. "Halfling... dwarf," she tilts her head to the side, "and elf, correct?"

"Ah... yes. How'd you know?" Bertholdt had never met anyone who could pin his race(s) down like this elf did now. He isn't unearthly beautiful to pass as elf, nor have the height to pass as dwarf. He could easily just pass himself as a human if it weren't for his-

"Your ears." she states, they move into the bar, it smells like any other bar - smoke and liquor - but homely. The interior is decorated modestly, like a home but without the couches and personal paraphernalia, just tables and chairs. Over all it's a very clean establishment. It lacks the urine undertones, the hidden sent is replaced with something clean, almost acidic, he's unfamiliar to the scent. Bertholdt immediately takes a liking to it. "They're pointy, but broad. I know someone who's the same as you," she cracks a sadistic smile, "though he's rather small."

"Really? I've never met anyone like me..." Bertholdt knew he couldn't possibly be the _only_ dwarf/elf hybrid; but being isolated within the mountain kinda makes you think you are.

"ARMIN!" Sasha screams, waving the heavy tomb above her head. There are a few dwarves seated close by who look up startled, Bertholdt doesn't know them.

A small blond towards the back halts and hunches his shoulders, Bertholdt can't see his face, but he imagines it's scrunched up. He turns slowly as if expectin an attack, showing shocking blue eyes and a boyish face. Smiling upon seeing them - well Connie and Sasha - he beckons them over as he disappears up some stairs.

"Come on, it's not safe to speak in the open." Mikasa follows the blond up.

Bertholdt and Reiner exchange bemused glances, but follow them up anyway. "You guys go ahead, I'm not ready to deal with Eren; and Marco's coming back soon. We'll head up when he gets back." Jean waves at them from the bar, tapping his knuckles on the wood to catch the attention of the cute waitress.

Reiner gives him a lewd smile and a double thumbs up. Bertholdt snortles and nudges Reiner up the stairs. "I wonder who Eren is. I've been hearing so much about him all day." Bertholdt whispers to Reiner.

The large blond nods, "And most of it has been rather negative with Marco promising 'He's not that bad'." Reiner laughs causing Bertholdt to smile; he likes Reiner's laugh. Loud and boisterous, yet it could be soft and gravely, it made Bertl feel warm and fuzzy.

They're lead into a cluttered room complete with a large wooden table and some matching chairs. There's an extra chair in the corner holding a plant of some sort. Piles of books and scrolls of every color neatly stacked around the chair. There's shelves stuffed full of jars containing Bertholdt can only guess at. Plants line the door wall, they smell like anything from minty fresh to a fresh pungent swamp. A strange combination, but not unpleasant - it smells... medical. There's a few beds - three to be exact, two are neatly made, another in shambles - partially hidden behind a floor to ceiling bookcase with no available space. The window is large with dark blue curtains pulled back showering sunlight on the plant wall opposite of it. Bertholdt likes this room, it's cozy- lived in.

They take their seats, the small blond - Armin - to his left and Reiner to his right. Connie sits across from Reiner, Mikasa at the east end and Sasha between Connie and Mikasa; leaving the two seat across from him and Armin empty as well as the west end empty.

"Eren?" Mikasa calls, there's some shuffling and some low cursing, ' _this room has be enchanted by the way the space is so much bigger than it appears'_. "Eren?" Mikasa calls more insistently. "We have guests."

"Ya, ya." Calls a loud voice from the unseen back. A brown haired man walks around the bookshelf. He wears brown trousers and a snot green tunic. His feet are bare. Bertholdt thinks he can't possibly be any older than himself, he may be even younger with those large cat-like eyes. Bertl is honestly unimpressed, he pictured someone older, gruffier. Not someone so... cute and young. His face brightens from his scowl upon seeing Connie and Sasha, "Connie? Sasha? what're you doing here?" he asks.

"Traveling with these bozos." Connie answers enthusiastically waving at the two giants in the room. Eren takes his seat at the last empty end.

Eren looks them over closely, Bertholdt can't help but notice his pointed ears and that when he blinks a second eyelid stalls a split second before hiding itself near the tear duct. Like a lizard. He's also getting tired of being the center of attention.

Reiner, that god send, easily breaks the ice by introducing the both of them. Eren cracks a wide toothy grin. "Eren Jaeger from Shinganshina. Took over being the Witch Doctor after my dad... retired." Reiner can't help but notice the hesitation in revealing his father's status.

"Armin Arlet, from the same place. Mikasa too. I'm a-" Armin hesitates, seemingly trying to find the right word.

"Wizard." Mikasa and Eren readily say to Armin's stuttering.

"In training. I still have a _long_ way to go before I'm fully fledged." Armin frowns at them. Eren rolls his eyes.

"Really? For what?" Bertholdt asks. He's very familiar with magic, having worked with it countless times in the forges. "I mean what are you learning magic for?"

Armin shrugs. "Anything and everything I guess. Medicine, defense, knowledge, nature, take your pick I will probably have it." Bertholdt's impressed, that's amazing. He says so.

"Really? I don't think so, anyone can do it." Armin scratches his cheek, a pink tint staining his cheeks.

"No It really is." Bertholdt insists, Armin's second attempt at the defense against his skill is interrupted by a loud bang.

"Jaeger!" Jean thunders, stomping into the room, a flustered Marco behind him.

"Kirschtien!" Eren is out of his chair in an instant. There's a collective sigh that leaves Bertholdt to believe this was a fairly normal occurrence. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You fuck! Don't pretend you don't know why I'm pissed as hell at you!" Jean points an accusing finger at Eren. Marco tries to get Jean to calm down, it's not working.

"Maybe because I don't know why you're up my ass all the time! What is your issue with me anyway?" Eren shouts.

Cold eyes glare down at Eren, "You stole that girl from the Horse Hooves Tavern back in Jinea from me. She actually thought I was funny and cute! And then you waltz in and stole her away!" Jean actually looks serious, and Bertholdt is impressed with Eren's look of 'you've got to be fucking kidding me right now'. Marco is the only one severely disgruntled.

"I'm so done with your bullshit Jean. What girl?" Eren throws his hands up in the air. "No woman took my interest there. I'm not so low as to steal a potential bed warmer from another person you know!"

"BED WARMER!?" Jean screeches, ' _Is it wrong to be enjoying this?'_ Bertl thinks sipping the beverage Connie passed to him. "Amelia was no bed warmer you fucking twat!"

"Amelia?" Eren's anger vanishes, replaced with confusion morphing into flabbergastation. "She's a married woman!"

Jean back tracks, "Hah?"

"She was pregnant you idiot! She wanted to know what herbs to use to ensure a healthy babe!" Eren yells, "Jesus, not everyone thinks with their dick like you do Horseface." Eren sits down again, Marco restrains Jean before he can jump table.

Then suddenly, like the summer rains, all anger drains from Jean's face; Marco sags in relief. That poor freckled man had been nearly pulling his hair out trying to get Eren and Jean to stop. "Oh. Pregnant huh. Married too. Dang. She was nice." Jean sits down across from Armin. Marco takes the remaining chair.

"Well... That was colorful." Reiner comments leaning back in his chair. "You won't have to worry about me barking about a woman to you." he says more privately to Bertholdt. He wonders what the blond means by that.

"You should see them when they really go at it. That was just a friendly greeting." Connie whispers back. "They weren't really angry at each other, if they were there would've been at least a broken nose."

Both giants raise brows at that. What kind of fucked up friendship is that? Though, Jean and Eren were very similar... Jean and Eren could be twins- no Bertl can't imagine them sharing a womb. That poor woman... a smile threatens to breach his face at the thought.

Conversation quickly turns friendly. 'Where are you going?', 'How old are you?', 'Really?', 'Where you from?', and so on exchanged freely. Bertholdt feels so free in this group. With Reiner's solid presence keeping him from floating away as he tends to do in large crowds.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bertl sees Jean talking quietly with Eren. Eren is shaking his head no while Jean is looking more and more sorrowful. Marco rubs his shoulders in soothing circles, he too looks troubled. Eren sighs and passes Jean a bag of mint colored powder, he says some more then turns back to join the others conversation. Jean discretely hides the bag away in his tunic. Bertl couldn't hear a word they said over the chatter of the others, even if the exchange literally happened under his nose. Doesn't matter, it's not his business. Marco and Jean continue to mutter in low voices, just under the radar of focusable speech.

Eren stands and leaves the room for a bit. He comes back and says something to Mikasa, she stands too. "It's getting late, you should retire to your inn before the patron gives away your rooms. We would offer rooms here, but we're booked."

"Armin. That spell book, will it be useful to you? I found it a while back and have been dying to know what it contains. It's in elvish so I have no idea." Sasha scoots over to the small blond.

"I'm not entirely sure Sasha. I can only read a little, I'm still learning the language."

"I can read elvish." Bertholdt offers. Armin looks up at him in surprise, the book is open in front of him.

"Bu-but _how_. The elves don't teach anyone but their own and those they trust!" Armin says.

"Dwarves and elves share many things, knowledge is one. Most of us keep it a secret for reasons I'm not at liberty to say. I-I don't want to offend anyone here.... but Umgi- er humans aren't very trustworthy..." Bertl ends with a whisper a pink tinge of embarrassment staining his dark cheeks.

"It's okay Bertholdt." Reiner smiles reassuringly. He shakes his shoulder in comfort, _'H_ _ow is Reiner so understanding?'_ Bertl thinks, smiling ruefully.

"Bertholdt, do you mind teaching me? I know some my grandfather tried to teach me, and I practice, but there are many things I don't know." Armin has a strange determined glint in his impossibly large eyes.

Bertl nods, he swallows thickly. Armin is a good man, he won't abuse knowledge... he hopes anyway. ' _I mean he's a wizard (sorta) and should know the consequences of defying an immortal...'_   Well he could still _die,_ in combat, or an accident; of old age but it'd take a while and-

"When are we leaving?" Eren asks stretching towards the sky. Bertholdt can't help but peek at Eren's toned stomach and the thin dark brown hair trailing down his navel.

"We?" Jean sneers. "What the fuck you mean _'we'_?"

"Jean." Marco sighs exasperated.

"Yes 'we'. If you're headed toward Cullasseth then I'll go to. There's some villages who're in need of a doctor on the way. Elves have the medicine I need." Eren says looking Jean in the eye.

"So... when are we leaving?" Armin's question is directed at Bertholdt, everyone's attention goes to him. He can feel his armpits get damp.

"Uh-um... why are you asking me?"

"Cuz you're the leader to this Odyssey of course." Reiner bumps into him jovially, a hearty laugh following.

"I am?" Bertl is skeptical, shying away from eyes.

"Yeah, you're the only one with a sound destination." Reiner rests his head on his fist, a cocky smile revealing eye-teeth.

"I mean... I don't really have... Umm... I don't have a time limit or anything... uh..." Bertholdt sighed. Whatever, "A few days? Maybe? Yes, we'll stay a few days so we can get supplies and rest. I've sorta missed sleeping in a proper bed." Bertl's cheeks are a bit pink. It's not like he's _shy_... okay maybe he's a _little_ shy, he's just not use to being put on the spot light like that. He doesn't like giving orders or being in a position of power over someone else, his height does that enough for him. He'd just rather follow orders than give them.

"Okay, we'll leave when provisions are settled and everyones' had a proper nights rest, ya?" Reiner stands hands on hips, his impressive bulk becoming almost massive. Bertl stares a bit too long, he _really_ likes how ample he is. How his waste doesn't taper dramatically like other buff men, but gradually - almost gracefully. Bertl swallows and quickly looks away.

"Um... I was only able to book three rooms, so we'll have to share if that's alright?" Marco said, they followed him to a new inn, walking beside their horses. "But they have a barn for our horses, and have clean smelling bedding and-"

"Marco, come on man it's fine. The giants can share a room, we can share a room, Connie can pick one of the lesser evils, and Sasha takes the remaining room. Done and done. No biggy." Jean slung an arm around Marco's shoulder, it is a bit awkward, Marco being a tad taller than him.

"Connie and I can share a room. It's not like we haven't before." Sasha rolls her eyes. "I'm so glad we'll have another girl to join us. Boys are so disgusting." Sasha mockingly sniffs.

"Alright kiddos, don't you take your pants off, but if the itches in your britches proves too much; use protection." Reiner chimes.

"REINER!" Connie and Sasha screech together. Connie's face was branded red, while Sasha looks like she's going to cry. "If anyone should pin their dick down it's you, you ox!" Connie belts.

Reiner guffaws, his own red blush not going unnoticed.

Bertholdt giggles with the rest of them. Reiner smiles hard, he was a man who could take a joke against him in stride. Not very many men could do that.

* * *

The sound of frustrated shifting close by broke Bertholdt out of his reverie. Eren is climbing out of his blankets. Curses are softly thrown at the tangles around his skinny ankles. He gets up and sits on the log with a defeated sigh.

"Can't sleep either?" Bertl inquires.

A tan hand combs through unruly hair. "Ya."

Reiner silently strolls over sitting next to Eren. For a large man, Reiner is very light on his feet. Bertholdt sits up, folding his hands in his lap. The silence stretches on, neither knowing what to say to start conversation.

"Eren. What are you?" It's a question that comes out sheepish - almost scared - it's also a question that had been bothering him all day.

"A skin changer I told you that." Eren's gaze is hard.

"No you're not." Bertl was tired of half truths. He's been hearing them his whole life. He wants answers, _now._ "I've met skin changers. You are not one of them." For a moment Eren looks caught. Reiner's not sure what to do, he's never seen Bertholdt so angry before.

"I will not travel with some _thing_ who spins webs of lies and deceit. I am a man of few words, and one that values the privacy of others as well as my own, however I will make an exception tonight. I can apologize for being rude, but I will not." he can feel confidence is waning, Eren is becoming more and more uncomfortable every word. Reiner is shifting his attentions back and forth, a pained expression Bertl doesn't like seeing on such a joyful man. Softer Bertl adds, "If you don't tell me I completely understand," and he does, "But I guarantee I will be gone by dawn's morning light if you don't wish to speak of it."

Eren sags, Reiner looks even more pained. Bertholdt has a sneaking suspicion that if he would leave this very moment, Reiner would go with him. And Bertl secretly revels in that fact. He'd actually prefer it; traveling with Reiner has made a potentially long and arduous journey into a light hearted fun one.

"If I tell you, you must _never_ speak a word of it to _any one_. Please, I beg of you, _no one must know_. The last time I trusted someone other than my family to this secret-" the man- boy really, takes a shuddering breath, "It ruined me. _Swear it_."

Reiner, (how many times can Bertl give thanks to Reiner's existence and his eerie way with people? Not enough he thinks) calmly brings his fist to his heart, a salute Bertholdt had seen humans do. Dwarves have one similar, though it's a fist flat on the heart while the humans do it as if to stab. He does his. "We swear it." they say together.

Eren sighs and closes his eyes, "Hope you're not tired, 'cuz it's going to take most the night." Eren's smile is back, full of teeth and childish glee.


	2. Childhood Turned Out To Be More Painful Than It Should

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren retells how Mikasa joined the family and the fall of Shinganshina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's kinda of a summary... It's basically what happened in canon... Except no titans... so ya....

"I'll have to start from the very beginning for any of this to make sense." Eren sighs again gazing up at the twinkling stars. He takes a minute or two to gather his thoughts.

Reiner hands some jerky to Bertholdt as Eren collects himself.

"My dad would often take me on his trips outside of Shinganshina if his patients had kids. He said it was good for me to meet other people and to see what life is like outside of home; but I wasn't someone who could make friends easily. My mom and dad often said it was because of my bad attitude, I wasn't a bad kid, just thought differently than others and a low tolerance for dumbasses. It doesn't help that I have a lot of anger that's easily triggered." Eren wraps his arms around his knees.

"When I was nine, dad made a trip to the Ackerman's in the mountains. He took me along because he wanted me to get along with their daughter Mikasa. I was skeptic because I thought one friend was enough, but he said there weren't any children around and we were the same age so..." He let that trail off

"It was a cold day, just on the cusp of snowing or maybe it was snowing, I can't really remember. When we arrived at their cabin the lights were off and it was deathly quiet. The door was open when my dad pushed on it so he went ahead and walked in, dad didn't have enough time to block their bodies from my view. Mrs. Ackerman was covered in blood, she had a very deep gouge in her neck. Mr. Ackerman was just stabbed in the abdomen. Dad asked if I had seen a little girl while he checked the bodies but I hadn't."

"For some reason I wasn't scared. My dad told me to go wait at the base of the mountain while he went for the police. But then I remembered seeing an abandoned cabin on the way, so I ignored dad's order and went to the cabin instead." Eren pauses to play with the fire a little.

"Mikasa is only half elf. Her father was human." he shuffles a bit closer, "Her mother had been the last of her clan. Moon elves or something I don't know and don't care enough to find out. The people who murdered her parents and kidnapped Mikasa were traffickers." Reiner and Bertholdt's eyes widen.

"Anyway, I snuck into the cabin and took a knife from the kitchen and wandered around the place till I found the room they were in. When one of the pigs heard me, I hid the knife behind my back and made up some sob story of how I got lost in the forest and found the cabin. The man ruffled my hair and bet over like adults do to children saying something that pissed me off, so I slit his throat." Eren laughs with no humor. "The look on that guy's face was priceless."

"You mean you just straight up murdered the guy?" Reiner mumbles.

"What else was I suppose to do? Wrestle him to the ground? I was nine, besides the MP's would have been too late anyway." Eren's teeth are clenched, his pupils slit. Bertholdt finds that unsettling.

"You're right." Bertholdt whispers. "I think I would have done the same. Continue please."

"I closed the door to stall the second guy, and ran to the closet where I knew a broom was and tied the knife to the end of it with a bit a of string. When the second pig ran at me with a wood ax I ran at him with my make shift spear. Since I had the longer reach I won the jousting match. But he still didn't die, so I ripped the knife off and just kept stabbing the guy. I don't know how many times I stabbed him, I was just so angry. How _dare_ they steal someone's freedom away!" Eren starts to growl, his iron grip in his stick causing it to creak.

"Eren." Reiner gently takes the stick away. The boy takes a deep calming breath.

"It's kind of amazing that I didn't get any blood on me." Eren shrugs, "Mikasa was tied up on the floor so I untied her and told her who I was. I didn't know there was a third guy till Mikasa said so. He came barreling in and before I could grab the knife he kicked me away. Mikasa was just frozen in fear - not that I blame her for it, I was scared too. The man was furious and he grabbed me by the throat and started choking me. I couldn't breathe, I remember telling Mikasa to keep fighting. I don't really remember what happened next - I think I passed out. But the next thing I knew, Mikasa is shaking me awake, and she's shaking too. There's blood on her hands and the knife is sticking out the man's back."

"So.. did Mikasa kill him?" Bertholdt timidly asks. He kicks himself for asking a plainly obvious question.

"Ya I guess. She was freakishly strong, even as a kid." Eren laughs, "You know she could, and still can, pick me up and toss me like a sack of flour. I was always so jealous of her strength." Eren clears his throat.

"Dad was so mad when he found out I disobeyed his command. He wasn't angry that I killed two people, but that I put my self into danger without fully realizing the consequences. Long story short dad just took her home with us, she had no living family and mom always wanted a girl so she became my sister." he shrugs.

"What does this have to do with you being a shifter?" Reiner asks poking at the dying fire with his confiscated stick.

"Nothing really, but my story is theirs. Armin doesn't really have a special story about how we met. He just use to get beat up a lot and my dad always treated his wounds. We have the same outlook on life and think the same, so we became friends. He's _way_ smarter than me though."

"If you can't beat them physically, destroy them psychologically." Jean emerges from the shadows a drawing pad in his arm. "Telling them your shitty history I see."

"Shut the fuck up Jean. What the hell you doing up anyway?" Eren sneers at Jean, who rolls his eyes and sits next to Bertholdt, strategically placing himself in full light of the fire.

"Can't sleep."

"How do you know about Eren, Jean?" Bertl inquires.

"We were on the same squad. We both joined the Survey Corps at the same time. I wanted to go into the Military Police, but the Trost earthquake changed _that_. It was the Wings of Freedom that helped the people evacuated, the MP's just ran around like chickens with their heads caught off." Jean says quickly becoming absorbed into his sketch pad.

"Recon Corps, huh." Reiner comments. "I thought about joining them. But the village needed it's warriors at the time, so I missed the recruitment deadline." He points his stick at Bertl. "What about you cutie?"

Bertl furrows his brows, 'C _utie?'_ "Oh. Um... I never really thought about it. Government officials aren't allowed within the mountain so the only time I ever saw them was when I was on watch duty or when I went into town for business. Mmm... I don't think I would ever willingly join them though."

"Why not?" Jean asks from his pad. He'd thought that Jean wasn't listening, he was really engrossed in his drawing.

Bert shrugs. "I don't know. So why did you join them Eren?"

"I'll get there hold on. Still got a few years to cover." Eren lays down contemplating the cosmos. "About a year later the earthquakes hit Shinganshina. Me and Mikasa had gone out of town to gather fire wood that morning, we came back around lunch time. We had an argument that mom came out losing- sorta. Mikasa had peached on me for wanting to join the Survey Corps and mom wasn't very happy about it. Dad had asked why and when I told him I wanted to see the world and he relented. 'Can't suppress human curiosity' he'd said - or something close to it. Dad left, for Rose I think, shortly after that. Mom wouldn't let it go though, so I yelled at her and ran off outside."

There's a short pause before he takes a breath and begins again, "I was still running when I heard Armin shout. He was getting beat up and called a heretic again. I didn't think and ran to fight them, Mikasa had followed me out and they ran when they say us coming. So with all of us together we went to the waterfront and complained about the people, life, you know, just things ten year olds shouldn't even be aware of yet." He sits up again and adjusts his position so they're a four man box.

"We were just talking when the first tremor hit. There was this loud _cracking_ sound and the ground... the ground _groaned_. We were literally thrown off the ground, when the tremor stopped everything was just deathly silent; everything was so _still_. Till the screams started; we ran toward the source to see the cliff side spider web in slow motion. It started at the base then second by second it grew upwards and out.'

"You see Shinganshina was partially surrounded by a 50 meter cliff acting like a wall. The city was basically in a chasm or ravine or whatever you wanna call it, so land slides were always a big deal." Eren draws a wide U with his finger in the dirt to as he explains how the city was laid out.

"We watched in awe, I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, or why people were starting to run away. The second tremor was so much bigger. It was like the ground itself exploded; the entire cliff just...fell. Giant boulders flew in every direction, people were getting smashed with the landing rocks; dust made a thin fog in the air. My house was pretty close to the wall, and without a second thought I sprinted home. _'Mom's there.'_ I remember thinking, _'_ _It's fine I'll turn this corner and my house will still be there'._ "

"It was hard to get home with the earthquake still in place. I kept biting my tongue from the force of the shakes. People were pushing me out of the way trying to get to the boats, soldiers trying to make a grab at me. My house was there alright, but it had a very large and uninvited guest crushing it. Mom must have been coming out the door because that's where she was pinned. The tremors had stopped, but fires had started and the dust made the air hard to breathe. I knew Mikasa had followed me so I yelled at her to help me lift the beam from off mom so we could leave."

"Was she-" Reiner interrupts.

"Alive? Ya. She was screaming at us to leave her, that there's always aftershocks. I could hear the cliff shrieking, the sound of solid rock grinding violently was so loud you could feel it in your bones. I was shaking so bad. Mom was making some sob story of her legs being crushed and would only be a burden if we were to even get her out. The worst is people were just rushing by, not even giving the poor kids trying to save their mother a seconds glance. We couldn't get her out, the weight of the boulder and the house being too much for a pair of kids."

Eren finds a new stick and as he tells his account he doodles in the ground. Nothing recognizable, just squiggles and lines. "Hannes was a family friend of ours. He was part of the Garrison that would keep peace with the people and inspect the cliff. He came out of no where and grabbed us. He was going to help us dig her out when another earth shattering quake sent us to the dirt. The world around us was _screaming_ , I couldn't hear anything above the ringing in my ears and the commands my mom was desperately yelling. I remember Hannes's face went a deathly shade of pale when the cliff just... collapsed like a wave." Eren imitates the motion by waving his hands down like a weak wave.

"Hannes barely had enough time to manhandle us onto his shoulders and run like hell. I watched my mom become crushed under hundreds of pounds of... earth. I was so _angry_ at Hannes for not saving my mom, but I knew it wasn't his fault, there was nothing he could've done. He got us a place on the boats where we reunited with Armin and his grandfather. The sky was turning a golden yellow, the clouds an ugly gray."

"But... I thought Shinganshina was a hole in the ground." Bertholdt mutters.

"Oh ya. The ground kinda just," Palms down and finger knuckles of each hand together, he pulled them apart - like opening a bag, "opened up; like sand, most the town fell in. The boats were pulling away by then. I could go on and on about how people were throwing themselves into the river, tossing luggage and children onto the boats. But it doesn't matter." Eren stands and throws his stick as far as he can.

Bertholdt stays quiet turning Eren's tale over in his head. "What happened next?"

"We were sent to the fields. Armin's grandfather died a year later, I want to say of old age, but it wasn't. The government sent half of the remaining population of Southern Maria back to reclaim the land we lost." Eren snorts crossing his arms. "They were devoured by the beasts that now roam the land. With no one there to beat them back they run rampant. It's only part of the reason why though, the area hasn't stopped convulsing."

"That's... awful." Reiner is tall enough sitting on the log where he can pat Eren on the shoulders.

 _'He has such strong arms...'_ Bertl thinks. Reiner could show such empathy and comfort while all he could do was give pity, something no one actually wants.

Eren had been through a lot in three years. The most traumatic thing that had ever happened to him was the accident that killed his father. A simple mining accident when he was just a toddler.

"With Armin's grandfather gone, our adult protection vanished. We had no idea where Hannes was, so he couldn't take care of us. We were on our own." Eren turns around to sit on the log again. Jean has yet to even twitch since his last words, still intently scribbling away.

"At twelve I decided to join the Military; and Armin and Mikasa followed. With training I could defend myself, have a reliable shelter, three meals a day, a safe place to bathe, etcetera. When I graduated (ranked five, Jean six)," A look of pure hatred is sent at Eren from the pad's top. "I joined the Scouting Legion and they followed me again; my goal to reclaim my home."

"It's getting late," Reiner stops the story, he's rubbing his eyes childishly. Bertl hides a secret smile at how cute the action is. Bertl sometimes wonders at these thoughts, he's not _stupid_ he knows what they could mean, but Reiner likes women.

"You can finish tomorrow Eren. It can be hard picking at scars. I'm sorry... you really didn't have to tell me..." Bertl says softly.

"But you would've left. But seriously it's fine, you guys are good people who look like they can keep their mouth shut. And you're friends." He smiles big - white teeth flashing.

"You alright with watch Jean?" Reiner asks dusting himself off. Jean nods pausing his work to shoo Reiner away.

Bertl gets up with Reiner and moves his sleeping arrangement away from the fire. He's a wild sleeper and waking up on fire isn't something he would like to experience.

Reiner settles his bedding close - almost too close - to his, they crawl in and snuggle down into the blankets. They're facing each other now and Bertholdt rather likes it. The shadows cast attractive angles on Reiner's face and he finds himself smiling on these thoughts.

"What are you so happy about?" Reiner breathlessly laughs.

Bertl returns the same laugh. "No reason. I'm just really glad you're my friend Reiner." Bertl closes his eyes and wiggles further into the bedding to escape his burning embarrassment.

_'Is that a sharp intake of breath I hear? No it's not just the wind through the trees surely.'_

"Me too Bertl. Me too."

Bertholdt falls asleep to his friend's deep, easy breathing.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really freaking hate the word "I". Reading back seeing how many "I"s are there makes me angry. I tried to use as little as possible *shrugs*
> 
> I wanted Reiner/Bertholdt/Annie to have a normal life w/ no sending children off to inadvertently kill people and so reibert has never met the 104th [Annie had joined the military and is/was an MP stationed in her home village so she knows the 104th], so the titan damage is from natural disasters and junk. Why? because my son deserves happiness.
> 
> p.s. sorry if this sounds a bit... idk... newish. I haven't written anything since high school, so I'm a little rusty ^.^
> 
> Come visit me on my [tumblr](http://rickylee727.tumblr.com/)


	3. 20 Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reiner wants to get to know Bert better.
> 
> Bertholdt experiences jealousy
> 
> Meet Ymir and Krista for all of 3 seconds.

Bertholdt awoke to voices close by. They were high pitched like how one would talk to a kitten. He wants the voices to go away, they're annoying.

"Aw he's so cuuute"

 _'Oh god shut up.'_ Bertl burrows his head further in his pillow. _'Wait...'_

"Oh my gosh."

"Shh don't wake him up." That voice seemed to come from right under his head. _'That's weird.. I didn't know moles could talk. Good advice mole, don't wake me up.'_

Now that he thought about it, his so called pillow is a lot harder than he remebers. It's also self warming and makes some awfully wierd sounds for something stuffed. It's also... moving. _'What unholy magic gave my pillow life?'_

"Ah man he's waking up this'll be good."

Bertl cracks an eye open only to be blinded by the sun, he hides his face in Reiner's chest.

 _'Reiner's chest sure is comfy.'_ His eyes bulge _'Reiner's chest? Oh my-'_ Bertholdt bolts upright and backwards.

"Sorry sorry sorry!" he apologises, he can't look at Reiner he's so embarrassed.

There's laughter all around the campsite, but it's Reiner's booming baratone that catches his ears. "'S fine Bertl. You were like my own personal self heating blanket. You're actually really hot you know that?"

"Oh my god!" Bertl buries his head into his hands flushing hotly. The laughter dies down to low snickers.

Eren slaps his back in what is suppose to be comforting, "Come on it's not so bad to wake up in the arms of another man. I wake up in Armin's arms all the time!"

"Ya but you guys got some wierd polynamorous marrage thing going on." Connie yells, he's dismatling the girl's tent.

"We do not." Eren shouts causing Bertl to cringe at the volume.

"We're not like that." Mikasa states in her soft tone. Bertholdt rather likes her voice, it's just like his grandma's.

Bertholdt brings his head from his hands, face a millions shade of red and looks at Reiner. He regrets it instantly, he' smiling so big and wide it makes him flush all over again. Is it possible to die in embarrassment? Bertholdt thinks he's about to find out.

Marco brings over Bertholdt's saddle, "She won't let me saddle her Bertholdt." He looks so sorry that he couldn't do such a simple favor.

"It's fine. Lady doesn't like anyone but me sadling her. She won't even let any one else ride her either." Bertholdt takes the distraction and goes to saddle his horse. Bertl fears he may never be able to look Reiner in the eye ever again.

Reiner comes over sometime later with his bedroll and attaches it to the back. "Oh, thank you."

"Are you really so against waking up in the arms of a man?" Reiner sounds down trodden, and it breaks Bertholdt's heart to hear it.

"No of course not!" Bertholdt looks down blushing, "It's just embarrassing, it was in front of everyone and," He plays with his fingers, not for the first time he wishes he were shorter so he could hide behind his horse, "and... yeah."

Tentatively he glances up, Reiner is smiling again. Bertl exhales in relief. "So you wouldn't mind it if you woke up in my arms again alone?"

Bertholdt shrugs, "I guess so, though I really didn't mind it this morning... you make a very comfortable pillow." he smiles up at his human friend, he's blushing for some reason.

"Uh... um yeah... I'm going to go saddle Orion..." Reiner stutters and waddles off. _'Strange.'_

It's not till they're all on the move when Bertholdt thinks that him and Reiner might have been low key flirting. Bertl flushes at the realization.

* * *

Armin and Connie's horses are side by side while the map they're inspecting is stretched carefully over the minimal space between Armin's grey stallion and Connie's chocolate stallion. They're both shaking their heads and pointing to random spots, Bertl can't really see or hear what they're arguing about - if they're even arguing at all.

"Wanna play a game?" Reiner trots his horse to catch up with his.

"Huh?" Bertl flicks his eyes to Reiner. "What kind of game can we play riding?"

"Twenty questions."

"Twenty questions?" Bertl thinks about it. He's never played it himself, but he's familiar with the game. "Can you refresh my memory? I've never played."

Reiner balks, "How have you never played?" Bertholdt shrugs, "Um... I ask you a question, then you answer it, this goes on till my twenty questions are up, then it's your turn to ask me questions."

"I thought you had to think of something and the other person tries to guess what you're thinking about in twenty questions." Marco adds from behind them.

"Well you can play it both ways." Reiner sniffs clearing his throat. "Ghmm, I'll go first."

Bertholdt doesn't really care how the game is really played, he just wants to get to know Reiner better. He waits for the questions patiently. Connie and Armin are definitely having an argument now; both are getting louder and louder the more the other shakes their head.

"Okay, first question. What was your job within the mountain?"

"Hmm, well I was too young and inexperienced to have an _actual_ job, but I guess I did a little of everything?" Bertholdt thinks some more on this, "I guess being really tall made me the 'High Shelf Retriever'."

Reiner barks out a laugh. "Yeah, I feel ya, I'm the tallest in my family too."

"Family? Try the whole mountain."

Reiner barks another laugh, "But really what did you do in the mountain? 'A little of everything' is pretty vague."

"Well as soon as I was able to walk I was taught basic warrior stuff. So when I wasn't mining or smithing I was practicing my battle skills I guess." Bertholdt pauses his answer to concentrated on maneuvering his horse down a steep and narrow path. All talking ceases for a moment till the steep path levels out. "Children under the age of nine aren't allowed in the mines, and anyone younger than seven can't work in the forges."

"Wow. I wasn't even allowed anywhere _near_ sharp objects till I was almost ten." Marco bumps in. "Humans are rather fragile though, I've seen dwarves fall off mountains and get up like they just drunk tripped down the stairs." Marco laughs.

"Yeah, You've gotta be tough to work under ground your whole life." Bertholdt says. "So I apprenticed in the forge with my uncle and sometimes aunt if she could find the time away from the cooking fires. All dwarves can smith, even the women. Um... mining is a different story though. It can be many times more dangerous than melting metal, with toxic gases, cave ins, drop offs, getting lost in the maze of tunnels..." Bertl trails off. "Newbies like me where only allowed in the first mile of tunnel work though."

"That's amazing Bertl." Reiner gushes.

"Is it? Things got a little different for me after I awhile though." Bertholdt peers down the road ahead.

"How so?" Reiner asks, concern written all over his face.

"Is that your second question?" Reiner pouts shaking his head no, "It's because my elven powers started to present itself. Before I was only able to use dwarven magic and... _be_ dwarven. I got treated differently after I made heavenly light for the first time. I wasn't a freakishly tall dwarf anymore, I was... a halfling."

"What's so bad with having different parents?" Reiner wonders. It's Mikasa that answers.

"Nothing really. Most of us are infertile though, like how you can breed a horse with a donkey to get a mule, but won't always be able to breed the mule. Doesn't help that the elders think it as an abomination of nature. Most of the time it's because of clan issues." Mikasa's eyes flash, with what emotion Bertholdt can't place.

"Did they do that to you?" Reiner has so much concern for him it makes Bertl wonder where he gets it from.

"No. Not really. I was teased of course, but the king didn't mind so the elders were forced to not mind either. It honestly isn't a big deal. And I've never really wanted children, so fertility doesn't matter." Bertl shrugs it off, but Reiner's concern doesn't let off. "Next question?"

"Oh right. Uh..." While Reiner thinks of his second question Bertl takes stock of his surroundings.

Armin and Connie seemed to have come to a conclusion because the map is being rolled up and tossed to Jean who puts it away. Marco is quietly talking to Eren while Sasha tries unsuccessfully to engage Jean into conversation.

"What's your favorite color?"

"What?" Bertholdt whips around startled.

"Come on, what's your favorite color?" Reiner demands.

"I don't have one."

"Well think of one."

Bertholdt gives a half frown. _'Favorite color huh...'_ he thinks about it long and hard. What color pleases him the most? What color makes him smile? _'Reiner makes me smile. He has such soft hair. His eyes are like polished gold... I've got it bad.'_ "Gold." There's a snort somewhere behind him.

"Figures." It's Jean.

"Jean." Marco warns.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Bertholdt turns his body to face the man.

"Come one," he rolls his eyes, "A dwarf's favorite color gold? That's real original."

Bertholdt's not sure what to do. He feels aggravated about the comment, "Mind your own damn business." it slips out harsher than he thought it would and it's as much of a surprise to Bertl as it is to Jean. He turns ahead not bothering to apologize.

There's a collective "oooh" before the whole thing is dropped. "When's your birthday Bertl?"

"In the human calendar I believe it's December 30th. I don't know what year, but I'm seventeen now."

"Mine's August first. I'll turn eighteen soon." Reiner is awfully smug about it, he has reason to, being that it probably makes him the eldest. This causes everyone to shout birthdays and ages at random intervals; he finds out that Reiner _is_ the eldest and Armin's stuck as the youngest. Though it's sometime in early July so Bertholdt figures the only people still sixteen is Armin and Sasha.

"Okay, how many languages do you know?" Reiner's next question was the only one Bertholdt wasn't expecting.

"Uh... three? Dwarven, elven, human...ish? What do you call the human language anyway?"

"Depends on what language you want. Humans got a lot. We're not like dwarves or elves, or even goblins where we just have different dialects. Sometimes we have completely different alphabets." Armin lectures.

"That's... really unnecessary. What language are we speaking now?" Bertholdt can't believe humans are so complicated. The concept of the same species having so many different languages is ridiculous to him.

"English. I think." Jean answers, Armin nods in approval.

"Okay, I got a good one." Reiner is airily bouncing in his saddle. "Have you ever owned a pet."

"Nope. Well, I helped take care of the mining canaries and our horses. There's wild giant eagles at the top of the mountain I would visit. But personally owning something like a cat or dog... no." Bertholdt answers. He never thought about owning a pet for himself. A cat sounds lovely, they're not too high maintenance; just feed, love, enjoy.

"I've had some dogs." Reiner says. "Hunting dogs that technically belonged to my father, but I played with them and they lived in the house." He shrugs.

"I call a break!" Connie shouts, they had come upon an open grassy field. Great oak trees dot the land scape giving off much needed shade. There's a small stream not too far off. "I can't feel my ass."

"No one wants to hear that." Eren mumbles sliding off his horse. "I second the break, I'm hungry."

"You and Sasha switch bodies or something?" Jean teases. There's a sounding smack Sasha gives him. Marco laughs and turns away from Jean's betrayed face laughing harder.

* * *

So they stopped for lunch. Which is what ever meat Sasha dragged out of the forest with some left over breakfast and the berries Connie picked.

"What question am I on anyway?' Reiner asks handing him his bowl.

"Five I think."

"What's your favorite precious metal or gem or jewel or whatever." Reiner sits heavily next to him

"Ooh good one. Hmmm..." Bertholdt digs in his pocket some, finding his trinket not there. He panics a bit till he remembers he place it in a safe place in his bag. "One second I'll show you." Bertl digs around his bag. "This one."

Reiner watches Bertholdt bring out a small clear colored rock about the size of an eyeball. His eye widen when the rock changes color in the sun, becoming a piss yellow. "What is it?"

"I don't know." Bertholdt watches Reiner's awed expression. "It was the first thing I found when mining; (we're allowed to keep our very first find). It's actually only a piece of what I found, the rest is about as big as my fist."

"Aren't dwarves suppose to be an expert on these things." Jean states crouching next to them. The shaded light makes the stone a dull purple - like amethyst.

"Maybe it's a crystal." Marco suggests.

Bertholdt shakes his head. "No it's a rock like a emerald or a ruby. I don't know what it is; but it's not uncommon to find and unknown gem in the mountains."

"So what are you going to do with it? You said it was only a piece." Marco asks.

"I don't know. Most people make their first into rings or other jewelry. But I don't want that, I'm still wondering about its nature. Maybe I won't do anything to it all." Bertl shrugs and shoves his precious stone in his pocket.

"Mmm... Number seven. Do you have any other family other than your aunt and uncle?" Reiner chews on his spoon a bit before scooping up more porrage.

"I have a grandmother. She's like a cranky dragon though. I think I have a cousin on my mother's side. I don't know, they want nothing to do with me." Bertl hands Mikasa his empty bowl so she can wash it in the stream. "No siblings, my mother died before I could form memories and my father died before I could pick up a sword."

"Ah you did mention your parental status before I think." Reiner thinks some more.

There's a deafening growl that echoes through the glen. The tearing of clothes signals Eren's change, when a very large beast much like Eren tares into the field from the forest behind them. Eren is already in beast form engaging in a growling match with the other beast. The others are scrambling for weapons, Jean and Sasha have their bows trained on the beast.

Armin is trying to hold back Mikasa who's wielding her broad sword and about as angry and viscous as a pissed off hornet. Reiner already has his sword at the ready, Connie impressively throws Bertl's two handed battle axe at him. He catches it, still marveling that someone so tiny could even pick it up, let alone throw it. Connie has his throwing tomahawks at the ready.

The problem is the attacking beast is of similar size and color to Eren. The only distinguished character is Eren's magic green eyes and the attacker's golden-brown hue. No one else seems to be attacking, Marco and Bertholdt study the surrounding area, searching, waiting for more.

Bertl can't help but sense the beast is familiar. He has a feeling he _knows_ this beast, he just can't place a name to a... face.

The beast attacks Eren, there's a collective gasp. By the way Eren attacks back, it's assumed he was expecting it. It's a tussle of brown fur and white teeth. Growls and howls penetrate the static-y air. At some point they both shift back to some semblance of human form, it's hard to tell with how fast their shifting trying to catch the other off guard. There's a feminine screech as Eren pins the other down. Both are human and very naked.

"YMIR!?"

"EREN?"

"WHAT THE HELL YOU ATTACKING ME FOR!?" the both scream in unison. The entire party relaxes. Jean rolls his shoulder, must be smarting a bit from holding a bow steady for so long.

Eren stands naked as the day he was born, no shame. _'Eren has a nice butt.'_ Mikasa comes running with Armin's robe and hurries to hide Eren's nakedness. There's catcalls from Marco and Sasha, Reiner joins in just as enthusiastically.

'Ymir' Sits up showing a very bare chest. Bertl looks away, she's about to stand and show more than breasts when a tiny blonde blur runs between Bertl and Reiner, "YMIR!" Startling the both of them.

"KRISTA!" Ymir has freckles that reach her breasts. Bertl can feel his cheeks flame, _'Someone please get this girl some clothes.'_ This Krista is clearly elf if her long pointed ears have anything to go off of, it's her unearthly beauty that really gives it away.

Krista takes off her cloak and drapes it around Ymir. Ymir is calling her a goddess as she slips some pants on from under the cloak. She drops the cloak to shimmy into a tunic.

"Wow. She's gorgeous." Reiner breathes, his face in wonderment.

For some reason it makes Bertholdt unreasonably angry to see him look at another person like that. Bertholdt turns away from the welcoming scene to put his things away. Introductions are made quickly and efficiently.

Reiner is all but gushing his praise over Krista. Guess their game of twenty questions is over.

* * *

Ymir and Krista join the party and Bertholdt really wishes they had not.

Reiner had not given him a second's glance since the perfect goddess made her appearance. She rides Ymir like a horse, Ymir some how making herself as big as one, which is pretty creepy in his opinion. She can also talk in that creepy form, it's raspy and slow, but legible. Eren comments he can't speak in either of his forms which leads Bertl to believe he can shift into things other than a beast. That's actually sorta terrifying.

The only people not completely enamoured by her presence are Mikasa, Eren and himself. She's not real to him, she's so fake, like a doll, reflecting the emotions the player gives her. It makes Bertholdt even angrier that they're all buying it. Must be an elf thing to see through lies.

Armin had said, as they re-saddled, that the nearest settlement was another days ride. They'd be camping under the stars again tonight, and Bertl prays Krista snores.

He ends up talking to Marco most of the time. Where Marco's enthusiasm and gentle kindness tires ever so slightly as the day wears on, Krista's does not. It makes it even more annoying than it should be.

As the day gets older Bertl feels himself becoming more and more irritated. He knows he has no right to Reiner's affections yet can't stand to be cast out like that. Normally he would just shrug it off and get on with his day, but now.. now he's not so sure...

* * *

Bertholdt's never been so happy to see two people leave in his entire life. Krista waves goodbye to them as Ymir bounds down a different path. _'Thank god.'_ He's sure Krista is a nice person, but he can't help but hate her for taking all of Reiner's affections away. It only solidifies Bertholdt's knowledge of Reiner preferring a woman's company and it hurts more than it should.

Reiner trots closer to him for the first time since _her_ arrival. "Krista's great isn't she?"

Bertl tries not to let his eyes roll back into his head, "I suppose so."

"She's so kind and beautiful, did you see the way she smiled at me?"

"She smiles like that to everyone."

"Yeah but-"

"Can we not talk about how perfect she is? I've been hearing about it all day, and frankly it's getting tiring." Bertholdt retorts annoyed.

Reiner back peddles a bit. "Sorry." he apologizes. "What's you favorite food?"

"What?"

"You know the twenty questions. I still have like" he does the math quickly, "like twelve questions left." Reiner smiles gently at him and just like that they're back to normal.

* * *

Eren waits till most everyone is asleep before he beckons Reiner and Bertholdt over. Marco is on watch and Jean is drawing again. Bertholdt had tried to see what, but was met with and angry hiss. _An actual angry hiss._ Maybe Jean is a snake.

"Okay where was I?" Eren asks taking his seat by the fire. It's a bit chilly out and it looks as if it's going to rain, they have tents set up just in case.

"You said you joined the Survey Corps. But we still have no clue as to why you're a shifter." Reiner provides, throwing another log into the fire. It cackles madly before it dies down.

"Well, I didn't know I was a shifter till then. I had thought my father died, I had no contact with him since that day." Eren explains. Eren doesn't need to explain what 'that day' meant.

Bertholdt settles in getting comfortable, he can feel a long night ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... don't know about this chapter tbh. Was it boring? OOC? I would like to know so I can improve ^.^ thanks for reading!
> 
> p.s. I'm stalling because I'm not 100% ready to write the back story, I need to familiarize myself with writing again and I can't seem to think on how to go about writing Eren's history you know? It's there, but it's just not coming out. Like poop... that was weird I apologize...
> 
> p.p.s. Here where you can find more stuff on this au. Some inspiration/references on places and what not [that I shamefully have yet to use] also super brief character bios and stuff like that. I'm always open to suggestions and questions!


	4. I Think I Broke His Nose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren basically explains the shifting thing

"The first time I shifted was graduation day, also the day of the Trost earthquake. I have hardly any memory from that time, all I knew was that one minute I had a broken leg and a torn arm, then next I was very hairy and very scary." Eren explains.

"When the earthquakes subsided I turned back, completely healed with not even a scar to show for it. Mikasa and Armin had seen me shift and had kept me from getting killed. Naturally I was freaking out. My friends," Eren swirls his head around at the sleeping figures, "Protected me as long as they could. I mean what the _fuck!?_ what the actual _hell_ was that? I literally had no fucking clue what was going on.'

"The Survey Corps came riding in some time towards the last of the tremors and began helping people out of the city, digging people out of the ruble and so on. Trainees helped of course while the Garrison directed traffic and the Military Police fucked off to where ever. I guess someone from the Garrison saw me shift or shift back because I woke up in a jail cell underground with Commander Erwin and Corporal Levi staring at me like some old creep-os.'

"Erwin had my father's key. My dad had given it to me at some point, till this day I can't properly pin down a time line for that, it had to be sometime after Shinganshina, but before training.'

"Anyway Erwin asked me about the key, and I said 'It was my fathers.'

"Then he said 'What is it for?'

"And I said 'The basement I think.'

"And then he said 'What's in the basement?'

"And I said 'I don't know.'

"And then he said 'Let's find out.'

"I paraphrased by the way, it was a lot more political than that, but that's basically what we said." Eren shrugs stretching, the thin brown happy trail makes it's appearance again. And again Bertholdt stares. He's starting to think he fancies men... maybe not a big revelation considering he's never given women a seconds glance like he does to men.

"So what's in the basement?" Reiner asks.

"I literally have no clue. Dad just gave me the key as a 'key' to unlock my shifting abilities. It's merely a symbol nothing more. It really is the key to the basement though, and there really is _something_ in the basement. I asked my dad and he said it was just research. Doesn't matter the house doesn't exist any more anyway." Eren says nonchalantly.

"Mmm." Bertholdt and Reiner hum together.

"When I was no longer considered a threat, they released me into the custody of the Survey Corps, didn't matter to me since I was going to join them anyway. I then found out that they joined to." Eren continues.

"Who's "they'" Bertl asks before Eren could go on.

"Oh, Mikasa, Armin, Jean, Connie, Sasha, Ymir, Krista and Marco."

 _'That explains why they were received so easily.'_ Marco hands Eren something in a tin cup, he goes back for two more and hands them to Reiner and Bertholdt, then finally gets one for himself and Jean. They're sitting thigh to thigh again.

Bertl mummers his thanks to Marco and he smiles, freckles disappearing in the smile creases. _'Unholy hell how can one man be so saintly?'_

"Most of us scored top ten. Mikasa one, some dudes who came in two and three (they died in Trost). Annie fourth but she joined the MPs. Me five, Jean six, Marco seven, Connie eight, Sasha nine, and Krista ten. Ymir and Armin came close though." Eren sips his drink, it's coffee and it smell heavenly.

Bertl chances a glance at Reiner who stiffens at the name Annie. He's a bit paler and it concerns him. Bertholdt shakes his arm gently, Reiner smiles up at him and returns to his jovialness.

"As I was saying, I was really happy that most of us made it out alive, though Marco had a close call..." Eren clears his throat. "We quickly got together and they brought me back up to speed.'

"Trost was in ruins, the fires still hadn't been put out, but there wasn't very many casualties so that was something to rejoice in. Most the people dead where soldiers anyway. Armin also told me I was having nightmares while I was passed out. Kept saying weird things and mentioning my dad all the time, telling him it hurts and all that.'

"After that, everything becomes a blur. We became Scouting Legion soldiers, we went around fighting monsters and helping people. I was slowly coming to understand and control my abilities. Squad Lead Hanji helped me through it, they're... a bit... not right in the head. Not in a stupid way, but in the sane way. Hanji's crazy smart, and they're the one, after I had had a very vivid flash back-" Eren frowns and grabs hid head. "This is so hard to explain."

"Take you time, I'm in no hurry." Bertholdt reassures.

Eren nods great fully. "The flashback I had, I've had before but I guess through some self-defense mechanisms I blocked the memories out. It was my dad with a needle holding my struggling form down, bawling his eyes out telling me to 'Master this power'. He injects my arm with stuff and the flashback ends... The first time I experienced that memory and _remembered_ it afterwards, Hanji was going to take some blood and they brought out a needle and I freaked. Mikasa said I was screaming for my dad to stop. That the vaccine hurts."

"Hanji freaked to. I felt bad, they felt bad. Neither of us knew I had a huge needle phobia. Till this day I can't administer vaccines to people, let alone myself. Mikasa or Armin has to do it for me, 'cuz I just _can't._ " Eren shudders.

"It's a bit ironic, but sometimes I have a fear of being underground. Sometimes the walls are crushing me and the air just isn't there anymore." Bertholdt confesses. "And there are times where I'm terrified to be out in the open. I need to be underground for my breathing to go back to normal." Bertholdt hugs his knees. "My doctor said it was my halves conflicting. Dwarves don't really like big open spaces, and elves don't like closed in spaces. So sometimes my body just reacts to what ever side is dominate at the time. It's weird, but I understand the phobia."

"You also have a crippling fear of spiders." Reiner so _helpfully_ adds.

"You've ever had a bucket of spiders poured on your head? The kids my age torment me about my appearance being 'spidery' so they would throw spiders on me and throw buckets of them over me." Bertholdt hides himself in his knees.

"Sorry." Reiner apologizes.

"If it makes you feel better Bertl, Marco can't _stand_ birds." Jean chuckles. Marco punches his leg "OW."

"They're so creepy! They just stare at you with soulless emotionless eyes!" Marco whines.

"We're never gunna get to the end of this story with all these interruptions." Eren scolds.

"Sorry." they say together.

"Hanji's the one that began thinking gene manipulation over time." Eren stretches his legs out, leaning back on his hands. "But the only issue with that theory was my shotty memory. I literally have _no_ memory, even now, about _any_ of that. Hanji said it had to be injections, oral supplements wouldn't have worked." Eren sits up to take another drink.

"Erwin had been using my abilities and my confusion to his advantage. At the time I didn't mind using my abilities to help the Corps. What we where doing was for a good cause, a cause my mother would probably be proud of me being part of.'

"However, one day I was on cleaning duty at headquarters and I had accidently over heard Erwin, Levi and Hanji talking about me. Curious and tired of being left in the dark, I listened in. They where talking about using me to help them over throw some king or nobleman or something. Levi was completely against it and Hanji was still in the yellow about it.'

"They stopped talking, maybe they knew I was listening, maybe not; but I continued on like I hadn't heard anything anyway. I told Armin, 'cuz he's better at figuring these things out than anyone I know, and we decided to go along with it for now. The previous king wasn't a good one anyway. He abused his power and executed the innocent." Eren pauses for a breath.

"We had a day off one day and I had just gotten paid, so I slipped away and went into town. I don't really care what I'm fed as long as it's food and edible, but soldier rations can get really boring, so good home cooked food sounded really amazing at the time. And I'm glad I went, 'cuz I quite literally ran into my dad at the market." Eren laughs.

"Holy shit I was _pissed._ He _left_ me and Mikasa to fend for ourselves. Didn't even _bother_ to let us know he was alive or even send us money to survive on our own. My anger cooled a bit when he said he thought Armin's grandfather was still alive to take care of us. But I was still angry beyond belief. So angry I didn't even notice him grabbing my arm and leading me away from the crowds.'

"When we were finally alone I let out all of my anger on him. I screamed and yelled and cried and I'm pretty sure I broke his nose. And he let me. I had a right to. So when I finally calmed down into a sobbing mess he grabbed me and hugged me so hard. He was crying too, saying how sorry he was that he had to leave me alone and made me into a monster." Eren sniffs.

"Finally he sat me down and explained everything about my shifting. My mom couldn't produce a living child. My dad had tried everything to keep the fetus alive, but it was never born alive or lived to full term, until I happened. My dad said I was very weak as an infant, but I was very lively. He took that as a good sign.'

"Very shortly after my birth, my mom's uterus became sick or something. Cancer my dad calls it. Where the cells in your body mutate and turn against you. Dad operated on mom and took her reproductive organs out to ensure her life, but it also took away any chance of another child. Which was fine by them, one child is more than they could ever dream about.'

"Until my health began failing. He said he still doesn't know why I was just wasting away. It wasn't any cancer or virus or anything he's ever known, he's still researching what made me almost die. He said I wouldn't remember being sick because the vaccine he made would mix memory. He said since I was just a kid memories would be mixed anyway so it wouldn't matter. But I remember everything as a child, just not the injections. Dad was pretty glad about that." Eren gulps the rest of his coffee.

"So he told me he started giving me a shot every week to help combat whatever was killing me. He had found every species but the shifters have records of the same sickness as I had; but with them nearly extinct, finding one to test this proved impossible. Some how he required cells and blood from many different shifting clans and made a vaccine for me. It worked of course, but with obvious side effects." Eren gives a sly smirk to that.

"The first time I ever shifted wasn't in Trost but home. I had climbed too high in a tree and the thin branch broke - the tree was in the backyard so no one saw - but he said in my panic I had unconsciously shifted and glided down safely. I was... uh... six? when dad said I had feathers on my arms. I had partially shifted into one of the bird clan shifter people things. I don't know." Eren crosses his legs. "I have no memory of that day."

"That must get so confusing. Having major holes in your memory like that." Reiner comments.

Eren shrugs, "I guess I'm use to it now." Eren sighs, "I wasn't mad about my abilities anymore, but I was still mad about why he had left us alone for so long. Dad had admitted that till he gave me my last injection he thought we had perished with my mother. Then when he came back we were gone again, he thought we had moved away with Armin's grandfather, till he heard we were in the military; he said he felt we didn't need him any more and left again. _Then_ he heard I joined the Scouting Legion and thought it was time to come clean." Eren snorts, "Asshole.'

"I told him what was going on and he agreed that I should just go along with their plans till I myself felt it unwise. We also agreed to not tell anyone we met or what I learned. So after he assured me he will come and check up every once in a while, I asked him where I could find him. He said-" Eren frowned.

"For reasons, I won't tell you where he's based. All you need to know is that he's still a doctor and he's still trying to find a cure for whatever I had _without_ using gene manipulation. Technically I'm not even considered human anymore."

"That's fine." Bertholdt says, Reiner shrugs with an uncaring frown.

"I of course told everything to Armin and Mikasa. They again agreed to just go with the flow until such time it proves unhealthy."

"So that's it?" Bertholdt wonders. "How did that ruin you?"

"Because I told Hanji. I though I could trust them. But Hanji told Erwin and Levi and-" Eren's lip wobbles. "I thought I could trust them."

Marco is up in an instant, rubbing Eren's shaking shoulders and murmuring soothing words. Jean quietly puts his pad down and stalks over to them.

"They betrayed Eren. I may not like the dude much, but to do what Erwin did was- _is_ unforgivable. The 104th trainee squad left their ranks, abandoned being soldiers, because what they where making us fight for was no longer worth it." Jean crouches down, "Eren'll tell ya what happened. But give him time, it still hurts. It still hurts all of us." Jean's eyes are the softest Bertholdt's ever seen them to be.

He nods and Reiner looks like he's gunna cry with Eren. "Come on Reiner, let's go to bed."

"Try not to cuddle me this time okay?" Reiner laughs standing, he's in the process of taking off his shirt and dusting himself off at the same time.

If Bertl wasn't so transfixed by the new skin meeting his eyes and the embarrassment his comment made him, he'd be laughing at how silly Reiner looks trying to do two things at once.

Reiner lays down on his palette, he stretches his arms over his head with a mighty yawn. Bertholdt watches the blond's muscles shift so fluidly under skin. He doesn't have as much armpit hair Bertl imagined, and very little chest hair. He does however have a barely visible golden happy trail disappearing into his trousers.

 _'Stop staring!'_ Bertholdt lays on his back staring blankly at the stars. They're so far away tonight.

"I still have... thirteen? eleven? something like that, questions left." Reiner comments settling in.

"Ugh, tomorrow. Too tired now." Bertholdt says through a yawn.

"Deal."

It doesn't take long for Reiner to start snoring and for Bertholdt to find his way into Reiner's arms again that night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh, it's taking me forever to write all the kinks out of this thing.
> 
> headcanon that Marco doesn't really like birds. He's not scared of them, they just make him uncomfortable.
> 
> I'm also writing a thing for Bertholdt's leaving the mountain and meeting Reiner all the way up to meeting Springles. It might be one big chapter, I might split it in two. Depends on how big it becomes. So stay tuned!
> 
> EDIT: It's done. It's titled "From Beneath the Mountain" ya'll should read it.
> 
> p.s. This will prolly have like 2 maybe 3 more chapters left. This originally was going to be a two shot but it turned out to be a lot bigger than I anticipated. \/◕_◕\/


	5. Rude Awakenings, Snot, Pleasant Voices, Burning Labors, and Baths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rain and sick people are the worst.
> 
> Singing ain't so bad, you know, till a ruined village rudely interrupts you.
> 
> They get naked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took so much longer than a filler chapter should I apologize. Once again I fully admit to be stalling Eren's reveal story.
> 
> The only excuse I have to say is that I have it all planned out (what happens and in which order) it's all in the matter of actually getting it out of my brain. If you're a fellow writer I'm sure you understand completely.

"What's your favorite place to escape to?" Reiner asks. He's shivering, they all are.

"Anywhere but here." Bertholdt groans. Others echo that groan in agreement.

"I don't get it." Jean whines. "It's _July it shouldn't be raining like this."_ Jean huddles closer into himself rubbing his arms.

They're all huddled together in an abandoned barn they found trying to escape the rain that woke them up. It started out like a tiny sprinkle, enough to alert them to get their stuff a.s.a.p. and leave. Halfway through packing the downpour started, soaking them and what ever wasn't packed in minutes.

Most of them only wear undergarments, the girls _insisted_ on it. Bertl agreed, he'd rather not be wet, freezing _and_ naked. The barn is haggard and leaked in a million different places, but it was the only shelter on such short notice.

The horses wander around close by, they walk in and out of the barn at will. The barn being surrounded by a rotting fence so the horses know not to wander too far. They took refuge in one of the clean stalls and filled it with as much clean hay and dry blankets they could find; so despite being chilled and mostly naked, it's rather cozy. Their soaked belongings are draped in every other available spot to dry.

The lousy morning start has turned into a rather bearable afternoon.

"No but really, you said sometimes you couldn't stand to be below, where'd you go to be alone?" Reiner prods. He's so insistent on getting every detail out of him. Anytime Bertholdt tried the same questions he'd be tutted and told to wait his turn.

"At the top of the mountain there's some eagle nesting grounds. You can see out forever up there. The air always smells so nice and the sky feels so close. Diana's cave is near by too, but I only visit her when she's out though. Never go in uninvited, she'll roast you." Bertholdt answers, he's smiling into his knees.

"Who's Diana?" Reiner asks, he sounds a bit apprehensive.

"The dragon. She's a bit cranky at times, but she's good people."

"Can a dragon be considered people?" Connie mumbles into the blanket him and Sasha are sharing.

Bertholdt shrugs.

"What type of eagles are they Bertl?" Armin asks from across the way. They're sitting around an enchanted fire Bertl helped Armin make. It's water proof, but it smells off, like burnt hair.

"Titan eagles I think they're called. They're dark grey with white tips. The white makes them appear like clouds in the sky." Reiner answers. "My brother said they can be trained for riders. I didn't know they lived so close to home, don't they chase you away Bertl?"

"Sometimes. But I guess they're use to me being up there all the time. I don't really bother them, sometimes I'll play with the fledglings if the mothers will let me though. I only go up there to be alone and breathe in new air mostly." Bertholdt stretches his legs.

"Ugh I'm running out of things to ask." Reiner scans the wooden sky searching for the questions in it.

Bertl glances over at Eren who was quick to fell back asleep, he's squished between Mikasa and Armin and the stall's wall. Marco's close by cocooning himself in a dark blue blanket his eyes blinking slowly and dumbly; most of his body lays behind Jean, his upper body facing the pseudo fire. Jean's trying to get him to share the blanket but Marco is refusing, pouting like a spoilt brat. It's awfully cute Bertl thinks.

Himself and Reiner sit shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, knee to knee. It's the only way they can fit their bulk into the blanket. He keeps telling himself that anyway, he just wants to steal heat from him and... maybe... probably... cuddle. Okay mostly low-key cuddle.

"God Bertholdt how are you so warm?" Connie snuggles up to him. Sasha had fallen asleep too, heavily leaning on Mikasa.

Bertl blushes and shrugs.

Jean wins Marco's blanket. Not really, Marco had somehow absorbed Jean into the blanket cocoon. Bertholdt frowns, _'Are you sure you two_ aren't _a couple?'_ he aims his thoughts to them. They don't respond.

Reiner has been suspiciously quite for a while now. Bertl checks on him, only to find the man asleep on his shoulder. It's awfully cute. Reiner half curled in on himself and mostly leaning all his weight on Bertholdt, his head rests heavily on the taller's shoulder, one hand in dangerous territory on Bertl's lap, the other on his own thigh. It's really cute.

Bertholdt takes the blanket off them and eases Reiner onto the hay covered floor and tosses the blanket over him. He doesn't need it right now anyway. Reiner groans in protest but doesn't wake up. The day started way too early for all of them.

Others are starting to lay down as well so Bertl follows. He grabs some blanket and lays next to Reiner, it's suddenly so warm and comfortable.

* * *

Morning brought more rain and stiff joints. Cranky grumbles and sniffles greeted Bertholdt's ears as he woke.

Most of their stuff had dried, but heavy materials like the saddle blankets, Reiner's woolen blanket, people's boots, etcetera are still wet.

Bertholdt was quick to put on some dry warm clothes. He's sad to learn his socks are still wet. Reiner's still asleep, so Bertl grabs Reiner's clothes too, and wakes him up to get him into clothes. Reiner protests but eventually succumbs.

Eren still hasn't waken. He's sniffling the most. Mikasa is trying to coax him awake but Armin waves her away to get him dressed. It probably wasn't a good idea to sleep mostly naked in the cold night. Most everybody's got the wet sniffles.

Reiner groans and drops his weight against Bertholdt. "I feel like shit."

Bertl worried, places a palm on his forehead, it's warm but his hands are cold. "Feels nice." Reiner slurs. Bertl can't get an accurate reading by his hands so he pulls Reiner's forehead to his own. It's burning up.

"You have a fever." Bertl gets up and digs around their bags pulling out an extra blanket. "You need to lay back down Reiner. I'll get some soup cooking, but you need to rest. We can't go anywhere with the rain still pounding anyway."

"Mmm'kay. But you gotta cuddle me. Keep me warm 'n stuff." Reiner slurs laying back down and reaching for his friend. It's a bit silly watching someone his stature pout like a child.

"I will, I need to get food first alright?" Bertl promises tucking a grown man in.

Turns out, the only people not sick with fever are himself, Armin and Mikasa. Eren is the only one shivering and Sasha is the only one coughing. Connie has rolled himself into a ball. Marco and Jean haven't even moved from their cocoon, Bertl throws another blanket over them anyway.

Mikasa and him get an actual fire going, careful not to burn down their only shelter, and get what's left of the food cooking. Most having perished in the rain yesterday.

Sasha is the only person who doesn't have to be either forced or spoon fed. Jean and Marco are still basically dead, Eren and Reiner managed to eat themselves with a whole lot of coaxing.

The entire day is composed of the three non-sicks' going back and forth between people making sure everyone's properly tucked in and fed. They're out of food now, someone will have to go out and hunt. Bertholdt hopes it's not him.

By the end Mikasa sets out and Armin rekindles the fire. Bertholdt makes good on his promise and cuddles Reiner. It's not as fun as he thought. Reiner hugs him too tight and pushes him into uncomfortable positions, he keeps wiping his gross snotty nose on his tunic, it's awful.

By the time Mikasa comes back drenched - but with a bucket of berries, some eggs from the chickens left here and a two rabbits - it's getting dark and Bertholdt agrees that sick people and sudden rain is the worst.

* * *

The next morning brought sunshine, aching bodies, and drool.

Bertholdt hurt all over. Sleeping on waterlogged uneven wooden floors for two days is not recommended. His left shoulder and parts of his chest covered in... Reiner's head fluids.

But hey at least it stopped raining right?

 _'Blow it out your assholes you fucking birds.'_ Bertholdt can't remember the last time he was this cranky.

Bertholdt stood, not even caring if Reiner was dropped like a sack of potatoes. He immediately heads out side with a new shirt to the well. He'd prefer a river or stream, but a bucket of questionable water will have to do. He washes quickly and efficiently.

Once back inside he notices he's the only one up. So he finds his now dry things and packs them. Makes sure their horses didn't wander off or get stolen, and finally sits outside in the sun for a few minutes for some much needed air and quiet.

Only then does he go back in to gather everything for breakfast. Figuring it safe, Bertl makes a fire outside and starts on preparing one of the rabbits Mikasa had caught last night. It's quiet work and he enjoys it immensely. It's been awhile since he's woken up alone and in silence and he cherishes it while he can.

He can feel his crankiness and aches melt away in the quiet of nature.

The quiet is interrupted by someone walking behind him. Bertl freezes, but relaxes at the familiar heavy set steps. "There you are Bertl."

"Feel better?"

"...Ya why?"

Bertl eyeballs him in disbelief, Reiner's still a bit pink from fever, but he doesn't have the glazed eye look nor the shakes anymore. "You had a fever last night. Most everybody did."

Reiner's face scrunches up in confusion, "Are you sure? I feel fine now, my head hurts a little, but I'm fine." He shrugs and sits down, "My nose is a little stuffy though."

Bertholdt hums, Reiner does indeed _sound_ stuffy. "Did you know you're insistently cuddly when you're sick? You wouldn't even let me go so I could relieve myself." Bertl goes back to skinning the rabbit.

Reiner's cheeks turn bright pink, he scratches his cheek in embarrassment. "Ehe -Am I? ehehe... Sorry."

"'S fine. Still surprised you don't remember any of it." Bertl starts scooping out guts and puts them in a pan; he'll let Sasha deal with those. "Anyone else awake?"

"Jean... I think, Eren's not looking so good though." Reiner solemnly says.

Bertl looks up concerned, "What do you mean? He seemed fine when I checked on him."

Reiner shrugs, "I don't know, maybe he got the worst of the fever."

Bertholdt's response is shut down with lazy scuffling and a scratchy voice.

"Uuuuugh fuck this." Jean tromps by, picking up a bucket of water and dunking his head in it. "Much better." The twig of a man slides down to the ground, "What the hell happened last night? I feel so hungover."

"You had a fever. Most everybody did." Bertl repeats eying the rabbit, "Do we want boiled or roasted rabbit?"

"Your roasted rabbit is to die for, I vote roasted." Reiner insists.

"I don't care just put it in my mouth." Jean whines from the grass.

"Roasted it is."

Slowly one by one the others file out of the decrypted barn. Everyone's a bit worse for ware - shaggy hair, wrinkled clothing, dark bags under their eyes - but in good health again.

Bertholdt ends up having to cook the second rabbit too, having forgotten about Eren and Sasha's unusually large appetite.

He spends the day not talking, but listening. He's just not up for friendly conversation today. Reiner picks up on his mood quickly and skillfully deflects any conversation aimed at him. Bertl is greatfull and gives him and extra rabbit leg as a reward.

He suddenly feels silly for doing so, Reiner's not a dog after all.

* * *

They're getting ready to leave, as always Reiner and Bertholdt saddle their horses side by side. Bertholdt humming a tuneless melody, Reiner mumbling about this and that.

"You have a beautiful singing voice Bertholdt. Why don't you sing more?"

The question startles him so much Bertl almost drops his bed roll, "W-what?"

"I-I mean... you hum all the time and... I've heard you sing when you bathe... It's just..." Reiner is fumbling with his saddle bag, cheeks a dusty rose as if he didn't expect Bertholdt to actually hear his comment, "Nev-never mind." Reiner, done packing, swings a leg over his horse and trots away.

Bertholdt stares at him as he leaves, mouth gaping and bright pink. He can feel himself blush to his toes, it's suddenly very hot. _'When has he heard him sing?.. Bathing-'_ Bertl thought he heard rustling the last time he sung while bathing, he thought it was an animal in the brush or something. _'Ohmygod did he watch me? did he see me? I mean he's seen me naked before but... ohmygosh.'_ Singing while bathing was just a habit he picked up from his aunt, back before he grew too old to bathe with her and the other woman.

Bertholdt clumsily mounts Lady and follows behind Reiner like a lost puppy. _'Certainly feel like one.'_

On the road again Reiner refuses to meet his eye. _'He must still be embarrassed.'_ Bertholdt gives him space; after all, it's not he's not a stranger to 'I can never look him in the eye ever again' _'It'll pass eventually Reiner, trust me.'_

There is so much laughter going on all around him. It makes the two days of rain and fever seem like it never happened. Sasha whispers something to Connie, who then whispers to Mikasa. Mikasa smiles softly and shakes her head. Both Connie and Sasha are sad about whatever she said no to, so they ask Marco and Jean. Marco beams and nods excitedly while Jean just scowls, but it's a happy scowl. If there even is such a thing.

Bertholdt watches in anxious anticipation, never know what those two are planning. Armin looks just as excited as Marco, Eren is frowning. He's been frowning all morning, maybe he's still a but feverish?

Out of the corner of his eye, Bertl sees Marco pull out a stringed instrument. He'd never seen that instrument - not once on this journey. He wonders why Marco hadn't played it before. Connie is digging in his bags and the short man triumphantly holds up a... pan lute? Why hasn't he played it either? Bertholdt feels like he's missing something. Why is everyone pulling out random instruments, why is Sasha taking a deep breath? What is going on-

And she sings. Sasha is singing, Bertl is unfamiliar with the song, but it's beautiful. Marco's still tuning his strings and Connie... is smacking the flute on his palm. _'Guess he's trying to get lint and crumps out of it... Sasha has such a lovely voice. It's loud and high, but pleasant and clear.'_ Reiner begins to hum along, he must know the song. _'Reiner has such a deep voice... I wonder what he sound like when doing other things..?'_

Bertholdt loses himself in the melody.

_FUUUWEEEEEEE_

Everyone jumps, the horses whine and buck.

"GODDAMMIT CONNIE!" Jean yells, his horse is easily spooked and she rears back, nearly throwing Jean off. Bertl sooths Lady who's puffing something fierce, whether in fright or annoyance only the horse knows.

"SORRY! But at least it's cleaned out now." Connie smiles big and chuckles.

There's mumbles of leaving Connie in a ditch from several people, Marco frowns unapprovingly. "Alright, ready everybody? I'm going to start now." Marco beams and strums.

It's only Marco strumming for a bit then Connie effortlessly joins in. After a bit Sasha joins in too, they must have done this many times before as they are in perfect harmony. It's wondrously cheery and it brings a smile to everyone, including the other travelers and people they pass by. Bertholdt doesn't recognize any of the songs till one song in particular. It's one of his favorites, he use to sing it to the eagles and to Diana before his voice started cracking, by then he had lost almost all confidence in singing in front of an audience.

He wants to join in so bad, but what if his voice cracks? what if he's not as good as Reiner says he is? but Reiner wants to hear him sing more, isn't that enough? _'Fuck it.'_ Throwing caution to the wind Bertholdt waits for the next verse and joins in.

His face burns when everyone stops to stare in shock, but he powers through his embarrassment, not missing a single note despite there being no notes to follow. Laughing, Marco starts again and the song goes on as if he'd been singing with them the whole time.

Bertholdt feels exhilarated. Sasha and him have never before sung together yet some how they're in perfect harmony - as if they've been singing together for years. Reiner hasn't stopped smiling since Bertl sung his first melodious note; and for some reason Bertl feels it's because of him, and for that he feels... proud almost, ' _Reiner's smiling because of_ me _.'_

Bertholdt tires quickly and fades off as gracefully as he can manage. He hasn't sung like that in a while and he's a bit winded. Reiner eyes him with a bit of disappointment, but Bertl's smiling and watching the scenery roll by, so Reiner sings for him instead.

Bertl whips his gaze from the rolling hills to Reiner. The blond is singing a new song Jean is leading. Reiner's voice is... is... _'Perfect...'_ Bertl can't stop the blood rushing to his face. And he thought Jean's voice was good. Okay, so maybe Jean's voice is like ten times better, but Reiner is giving it all he's got belting out the power cords with such easy confidence. He's good - great even, give it some practice and he could sing in a choir.

Song and melody make an abrupt stop at the sight before them.

It's like a battle scene. Houses are nothing more than charred bones, smoke fills the air like a sickening haze. Children are crying for parents, dead bodies dot the landscape.

Bertholdt starts searching the surrounding area for the perpetrators, but by the looks of things they're most likely long gone; the fires have long been put out, but by the way people are still being dug out off ruble, it couldn't have been more than half a day.

"Raiders." Eren growls, it's the first words he's heard from him all day.

Reiner and Bertholdt exchange questioning glances.

"They're _suppose_ to be taken care of by now!" Eren spits.

"Eren!" Marco and Armin say together.

"The Scouting Legion can only do so much, there's so much land and so many people no longer trust them since-" Armin stops his shocking blue eyes hurriedly glance at the two giants, "Since we last saw them."

"Come on, let's see what we can do for them." Connie breaks the tension and trots his horse down towards the charred village.

So they enter the burned village.

The villagers scuttle away from them in fright, Armin and Marco get off their horses and ask them if they want their help with anything. They're very polite and diplomatic about it, the adults come together out of hearing range and talk about the possible threat. They stay like that for a long while, the screams and cries have died down a bit, but the whimpers of children and people still trapped make Bertholdt uneasy. Reiner isn't doing so good either, he feels so deeply for people that sometimes it causes him pain.

There's a cry - a near screech, it's female and fairly close - of pain. It's a pained screamed Bertholdt is familiar with, it's one of a pregnant woman in labor. Reiner vaults off his horse towards the sound Bertholdt close behind. They search or her turning over scorching rocks and kicking away embers. The cry comes again.

Bertholdt finds her - her belly is swollen with obvious child - she's covered in blood, burns and soot; and she's still trapped under what might have been a stable. There's a charred dead horse close by.

"Reiner here! I can't lift this on my own!" Bertholdt commands, his hands have burns on them now, but years in the forge has desensitized him to the pain. Bertholdt tosses a stable door off her, red embers fly through the light wind. Reiner is by his side now helping.

"I'll lift the beam, you shimmy in there and get her out, I'm too big to fit." Reiner huffs. "We're getting you out miss." he says to the trapped woman.

Bertl and the woman nods. The woman is taking deep shuddering breaths trying to calm herself and manage the pain.

"Okay," Reiner get's into a lifting stance, "On three." Bertl gets ready, "One. Two. _Three."_

Bertholdt slides in and grabs the woman bridal style and slides back out. Reiner drops his load as soon as they're out.

"Th-thank you." the woman says pained, she lets out one of those whined screams that comes with labor.

"Eren! Eren!" Bertholdt yells, "We got an injured woman in labor!"

Eren and Mikasa are already running over, "There's some grass a little ways." Eren jogs over to the place hurriedly commanding Mikasa, "-a blanket too, some water and-"

"Eren." Mikasa interrupts, "We've delivered plenty of babies before, I know what to do."

Reiner jogs after Mikasa to help carry the stuff.

"Miss-" Eren begins.

"Abigale. My name's Abigale, _Ahhfuckk."_ the wo- Abigale interrupts.

"Right, Abigale. I'm going to warn you now and I won't sugar coat it. Due to your trauma, the baby has a high chance of not being alive. How long have you been pregnant? in labor?"

"A-about eight mon _ths_. La- _laaa_ bor a little _after the_ atta-attack." her words a punctuated with grunts and deep breaths pregnant woman are trained to use.

"Alright." Mikasa and Reiner make it back, Reiner spreads out the blanket and helps Bertholdt gently set her down. Mikasa sets pillows for her lower back. Villagers bring what can be passed as clean water from their well.

"Please excuse what I'm about to do." Eren apologizes in advance. He reaches in her skirt and tears off her undergarments, "To save her some dignity nobody but the ladies may be behind me." Eren tossed the soiled garment away and peers between Abigale's legs. Abigale spreads them with out a word.

"How is it down there?" She jokes.

"Not gunna lie, kinda dirty, but I don't see a head. Mikasa-" Eren jokes back, Mikasa takes his place with a wet rag and begins to clean her... lady parts.

"Any strange pain? Pain not associated with birth?" Eren asks getting another rag and quickly but tenderly cleans her cuts and burns.

"Nu-no. Ev-everything is happening how-how I've been t _old."_ she stresses. Bertholdt holds her hand while Reiner lets her lean her back against his lap. "This is my first pregnancy." Abigale admits.

"What a way to give birth..." Reiner shakes his head.

"Ria-right?" she laughs but it abruptly ends with another wave of contraction and pain, " _Oohh,_ please don't make me laugh."

"Eren." Mikasa and Eren switch places again.

"Okay Abigale, looks like a head down there. I want you to push any time I say so, and stop pushing when I say so. Got that?"

Abigale nods waiting for her command.

Eren situates himself between Abigale's legs, "Push."

And she pushes. This goes on for a while. Many commands of push, stop, push, keeping pushing. Bertholdt's hand is numb and Reiner looks a bit green. Mikasa periodically wipes Abigale down encouraging and praising her. Eren stares intently at her lady parts sometimes his hands disappear into her dress to realign the baby. Eventually Eren gives his final command.

"One more push oughtta do it." He has his hands out ready to catch the baby.

Abigale pushes; there's a _squish_ sound that makes Reiner add a new shade of green to his face and Eren's eyes light up. "He's not breathing, but his heart is going. I might be able to save him." Eren quickly cuts the cord and brings the baby closer to Abigale's head to she can see what he's doing. "You still have the after birth to birth, but it can wait a bit," he gives Mikasa a look and she once again takes his place between her legs.

Eren gently dunks the baby in a clean bucket of warm water to clean him, all the while wiping birth of his face and trying to get a reaction out of the baby. Abigale is smiling cooing and delivering the after birth, _'Whatever that is.'_

Finally after what feels like forever of mini CPR and gentle agitating the baby lets out a wail. Eren's shoulder's sag in relief and Abigale cries with her new son. Bertholdt is smiling so very glad the child is alive.

Later after Abigale and her new son is cleaned and properly dressed, wounds and all, Bertholdt and Reiner wander around helping the villagers and their friends dress wounds and dig people out. It's tiring and by the end of the day Bertholdt wants to just bathe and sleep for a million years. Reiner second this notion loudly.

* * *

Sometime during the intense helping, Krista and Ymir joined back. Bertl didn't even notice they were even there till Reiner began gushing over how Krista was so good at soothing pained people. Bertholdt's immediate reaction was to frown inwardly. _'Yay! The goddess and beastie is back! [insert heavy sarcasm]'_ But, like whenever things bothered him, he doesn't outwardly show it.

The villagers, greatfull for the help, show them clear steaming pools of water - springs they're called - Bertholdt is very familiar with them, his home having plenty on the north side of the mountain (mostly used for bathing). It has a natural rock and plant divide that separates the cozy looking spring in two. The villagers said they use it as gender assigned bathing pools. Jean mumbles something about being disappointed about not being able to bathe with Mikasa - Eren gives him a dirty look and Marco pinches Jean for the comment.

So the boys take one side and the girls the other. Ymir and Mikasa making _very_ clear that if they even _thought_ about peeping, they'll find themselves a few ounces lighter. Connie stupidly asks/demands "What the hell is that suppose to mean!?"

Where Sasha delightfully replies "It means you won't have your balls no more!"

There's a collective leg crossing after that.

Bertholdt sinks down into the hot waters with a soul deep, almost pornographic moan. He tips his head back till it rests on the edge and closes his eyes in pleasure.

"You look like you just had an orgasm." Eren jests.

"I think I did." Bertholdt jokes back. He can feel all his muscles unwind and leave his body. Bertl sinks lower till just his head is above water, "If I drown don't bring me back." He sinks even lower till only his eyes can be seen.

The girls make their own orgasmic sounds as they too sink into the water. For some reason Bertl can't fathom why, the boys blush at their noises and splashing. _'Weird. What was so different about my same noise?'_

Reiner tramps to the water's edge, feet slapping on smooth grey rock, naked as the day he was born. Bertholdt hadn't ever had the chance to really _look_ at him in all his 'manly' glory. He's not lying when he says he likes what he sees. Everything on Reiner is big... _everything._ Perfectly proportioned and toned. _'I wonder if he even has muscles on his d- NO stop. NO NO NO. Do. Not. Go. There. Bertholdt Hoover. He likes girls.'_ he adds to himself a bit woefully.

He dunks his whole head under water to hide his red cheeks and gloominess.

When he comes back up for much needed air he finds Reiner hasn't even stepped into the water yet. Connie and Jean are calling him a wuss, Marco is standing trying to stop the taunting jeers. _'I didn't know you could have freckles on your butt...'_ Bertholdt's not really paying attention, Reiner is making some excuse about the water being "Too hot for my sensitive skin."

This gets another jeer from Jean, "Come on even Armin got in."

Armin pulls a 'fuck you too' face. Eren throws a wet soapy rag at Jean, it hits him square in the face. "You fucker."

Bertl's too focused on Jean and Eren's scuffle and the group's peacekeepers desperately trying to peel them off each other - before one of them drowns or gets bludgeoned - to notice Reiner get knocked over by said fight and totter wildly before the wall off muscle comes plummeting down toward him.

It happens so fast, the whole fight and Reiner's fall that Bertholdt doesn't register anything till the laughing titters from the girl's side of the pool reach his burning ears. Ymir and Sasha are spying over the wall, only their bare shoulders and arms showing as they hug themselves over the rock wall.

"Aw man this is too rich!" Ymir guffaws.

Slowly Bertl looks at what they're laughing and pointing at. Reiner is in the process of lifting himself up off the pool's bottom from between Bertholdt's spread and bent legs. Bertl's hands fly to his mouth, water droplets hit Reiner in the face causing him to look up and start. Both men's faces turn a blood red.

Bertholdt pull his hands away just enough for him to speak, "Ha-uh-hi." he tries.

"H-hi." he answers back shakily.

The laughter turns uproarious, from both boys and girls. Anyone who's not the victims are convulsing.

Mikasa's head appears over the wall, Krista is yelling at them to respect people's privacy (she's mostly yelling at Ymir). "Aren't you suppose to do that in private?" Mikasa deadpans, the tiny smile in the corner of her perfect lips the only indication that she's joking.

New rounds of laughter makes Bertholdt want to cry. It's funny, it really is with Reiner unintentionally between his legs like he's about to suck him off, face crimson and stupidly staring at Bertholdt like deer in the face of a predator.

Bertholdt starts laughing. He can't help it, he can't even begin to describe it. Reiner joins in after he too fully processes the situation. Both men are absolutely and throughingly horrified at the turns of events, so horrified and embarrassed it has become funny.

Reiner sits up and backs into a spot directly in front of the blushing halfling.

Laughter dies off quickly, but the amusement is still in the air with Connie's conviction, "If we can't peep on you guys, what makes you think you can peep on us!?"

"What you gunna do about it short dick?" Ymir jabs.

Connie gapes like a fish. Bertholdt sees Connie's caught gaze flicker to Sasha, she's has her hand over her mouth silently laughing, her flawless shoulders shaking with it. Connie sits down abashed.

"We got nothing to hide." Reiner places his arms on the edge and spreads his legs like an invitation, "In fact why don't you ladies come on over for a visit." he smirks.

Jean, Marco, and Armin are 'low key' hiding their privates from the ladies' view (though Jean is trying to be 'cool' about it). Bertholdt doesn't really see the point in hiding what has already been seen; Bertl just settles for crossing his legs. Eren is in the same position as Reiner only he's uncaring of the conversations going around him; instead opting to doze.

"Haha nice try you giant dick. And I don't mean your personality." Ymir winks "Let me know when you finally get colossal." Ymir jerks her head at Bertl who pretends he didn't see the... jab? _'Was she insulting me, complimenting me or was she just being a dick to Reiner?'_ Finally she slinks back, heeding Krista's insistent prattle. Reiner looks away from everybody and out towards the thick bushes surrounding the pools.

Bertholdt begins washing his hair to save him from any further embarrassment. Humming drifts to their side from the girl's side, it's voice he hasn't heard yet - it's alluring and near flawless. Sasha sings a few words but it's drowned out by some gurgling, probably dunked her head underwater. Bertl does the same. The girl is humming a song he knows so he hums along too.

Eren and Armin smile warmly at the new voice. "Mikasa use to sing for food and money on the streets when we were little, before it got too dangerous." Armin says hugging his knees.

Bertholdt watches Eren begin to wash, he realizes he's staring and quickly looks away. Marco is washing Jean's back and offering to do Reiner's. Reiner declines opting to wash his legs instead. There's still soot caked on them.

Bertholdt wonders if the pools have any natural filtering system because the water doesn't change color in the slightest. It's strange being that there's seven boys all covered in mud, soot and blood vegetating in it. Well not so anymore now that they're actually washing. Bertl pauses his washing to pick a leaf from a nearby bush and placing it in the water. It spins wildly before humbly drifting toward the side no one is sitting at; it's deeper there and the only person who could sit there comfortably would probably be only him. The leaf then takes a dramatic dive and disappears from view. _'Guess that solves that mystery...'_

Jean squints at him something fierce for it though. Bertl shrugs it off and continues humming and washing.

Full out song breaks out on the girl's side. It seems Sasha is trying to get Krista to sing along with them. "Come on Krista! You're such a goddess you'd probably sound like and angel singing. You and Bertholdt could bring people to their knees!"

Bertholdt sinks down in the water cheeks pink from her praise. _'I'm not_ that _good. And I refuse to sing with miss perfect. Even though Reiner is looking like he might combust in excitement.'_

Connie and Armin (Bertholdt sees Armin joining a bit of a surprise if he's honest) coo Krista to join. "Krista come on, let's see how you do with our boy here!" _'Am I a dog now?'_

"No-no I really can't I'm a terrible singer..." Krista protests. Bertl imagines her sinking lower and lower in the water. He's starting to feel bad for her, _'Dang it.'_

Jean is massaging Marco's back now, he stops to lean forward every once in while to ask if he's doing all right. Marco responds with a pleasure groan or a kind smile. The man doesn't have as many freckles as Bertl originally thought. He's got a counter shading thing going on though with freckles very lightly dotting his shoulders and straight down his spine to pool and spread on his bottom. He needs to learn to stop staring. ' _I mean I don't do it on_ purpose _it just happens... it's not even sexual.'_ Before he turns away Bertl could've swore he saw Jean softly kiss Marco's broad shoulder. _'Connie is going to owe me money if they keep that up.'_

Krista is still protesting and people are still trying to encourage her. Reiner is among them. So Bertl just sings again. Maybe if he sung for Krista in her place she'll be saved from peer pressure and embarrassment and Bertl can get Reiner's attention again.

The song is his bathing song, it's the only song he knows that doesn't need a second preparation since he's sung it so many times before. Though he hasn't sung it in front of anyone since he was kicked out of the woman's bathing pools at seven. 'Too old' they said. Humph.

Ymir has joined the begging, so Krista huffs - a very unlike Krista huff and more closer to who ever she really is huff - and joins Bertholdt in song.

Bertl stops to giggle before he can stop himself. He immediately feels guilty for it, he knows what it's like to be laughed at for singing badly. _'That's right folks. Krista mutha fuckin' Lenz is a terrible singer and I couldn't be happier. Perfect goddess ain't so perfect now ain'tchya?'_

"See! I told you!" There's a great splash, she probably banged her tiny fists on the water. Bertholdt just continues to sing like he never hurt Krista's feelings, he'll apologize to her when they're all dressed and have some dignity. He really will, he really feels bad. Really.

Even though guilt naws at Bertl's belly, Reiner's serine expression as he leans back lazily is enough for Bertholdt Hoover, dwarven/elven halfling of the dwarf city beneath the poor mountain Maria, smug as fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So when they come upon the burned village, picture as it happens in "Mulan" when they're singing "A Girl Worth Fighting For" and abruptly stop in horrified shock at the scene before them.
> 
> I almost wrote Reiner washing/massaging Bertl's back instead of jeanmarco, but the chapter was getting really long for a filler and I want to save that for a smut part someday. (I have a prompt saved on my tumblr that would be perfect for that particular scene).
> 
> Also, I wanted to give light to some of my headcanons. Sasha can sing, she just seems like someone who can to me - Jean and Bertl too. I'd think Reiner would have an average voice. It's already canon that Mikasa has a lovely voice [Eren or Isiyama mentions it in one of the interviews. He also says Eren can't sing, and that he's more of a physical expressor than a vocal. (gunna have fun w/ that some day) ] AND I don't think Krista can sing, I think she'd be too high of a singer, almost banshee like. ALSO look me in the eye and tell be Marco can't play something like a lute or guitar, also Connie seems like a guy to know how to plays flutes.
> 
> I enjoy writing for you all even though it can be a bit frustrating at times. And as always, let me know of any mistakes and your thoughts!


	6. Talking Helps... Really

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bertholdt apologizes.
> 
> Satan's Cleft is a boring road.
> 
> Laranxa is a pretty cool city.
> 
> Eren tries to explain what happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao I lied about the "2 or 3 chapters" lmao. I JUST KEEP THINKING OF THINGS TO ADD! also Eren's history is a lot harder to write than I thought....
> 
> Hanji is a canon nonbinery person so I've respected it by using the "them their they" thing. I sometimes slip up and write "she", please let me know so I can change it.

Bertl has the watch tonight. He hates night watches, they're awfully boring and harder to do with all the darkness and creepy sounds. No story time tonight; no drawing Jean; no coffee man Marco; no joking Reiner, just him and the night creatures.

Bertholdt sees Krista alone, walking back from her trip to the bushes when he takes a chance. Her hair is still damp, sleep clothes slightly rumpled from sleep. He grabs her arm as she walks by. Her arm is hard with muscle and she glares at him as he touches her.

"H-hey Krista? I'm really sorry about laughing at you when you sang... I-I know it feels terrible when you sing badly in front of people..." Bertholdt looks down at the ground scuffling his feet and rubbing his arm. "And I'm truly sorry." he chances a glance at her angelic face. For a split second it doesn't look so angelic.

She smiles softly, "It's okay Bertholdt."

"It's just, you're so perfect _all_ the time and... I'm a bit jealous." Bertholdt rambles.

Krista blinks owlishly, "Jealous? Why? It's exhausting to be perfect all the time." That other Krista shows when she's sleepy he notices. He finds it a lot easier to talk to her like this.

Bertl blushes at what he's about to admit. "Y-you take Reiner's attentions from me. I'm so easily missed, but he never- he always knows I'm there, you know? Wh-when you're around he... forgets about me... and I hate it."

Krista sits down tucking some hair behind her ear, Bertl follows, his neck is starting to hurt from looking so far down.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Nu-no! I mean yes. I mean." Bertl sighs cringing from Krista's 'I got you' smile, "Maybe. I would not mind a-" Bertl searches for the right way to phrase it, "a sexual or even romantic relationship with him. I don't think it would be too disagreeable to even fool around." he shrugs, it's not exactly how he wanted to say it, but it's close enough.

"You like men?" she sounds genuinely surprised, he doesn't understand why seeing as he unabashedly stares at men's chests... he stares at woman too though.

Bertholdt shrugs. "I've played with both sexes. I just happen to like men better? It's hard to explain really."

Krista laughs and it sounds like bells - like those tinkle bells humans put out during the month of December. "I know what you mean!"

"You do?"

"Mm. In training I had the hugest crush on Marco." she whispers, Bertl has to lean in to hear.

"Not surprising really." Bertl chimed, "He's a saint, no one can hate him."

"It's the freckles and the dark eyes I tell you." she goes back to her original story, "Then out of no where Ymir throws her arm around me and declares to the whole - well everyone in the vicinity - that we're getting married." Krista's porcelain cheeks are red.

"That actually sounds like some thing Ymir would do."

Krista lets off a rather unattractive yawn, though who looks attractive yawning? _'Reiner does, he looks like a lion.'_

"And another thing." Bertl looks back up from the rock he was inspecting by his shoe, "I'm fucking Ymir."

Bertholdt chokes on air. She might as well have cackled at his face. Krista looks at him worriedly after a few seconds of Bertholdt opening and closing his mouth like a dying fish. "Bertl, are you oka-"

"Can you say that again?" Bertl pants.

"Say what again?"

"Fucking."

"...Fucking?" Krista leans away from Bertholdt starting to get creeped out. Bertl has his head in his hands, seemingly in despair, then it clicks.

"You discovered a new kink didn't you?" Krista sounds like a big sister who found out her little brother has a girlfriend.

"A-a what?" Bertholdt peeps from between his fingers.

"A kink. You know something that makes you... uh... hard." Krista turns her gaze away.

"Oh. Never heard it called that before..." Bertl wants to go to bed now, but he still has about three hours before he wakes Armin for watch. "I... may have some others besides swear words..." Bertl kicks himself for saying that, Krista has a very evil look now.

"Oh? Like what?" Krista is bouncing.

Bertl squints at her, "Please don't gossip about this."

"No of course not... Okay Ymir, but we've been talking about the same subjects for like a week and it's getting boring. Nothing of real interest has happened."

"We have a poll, two actually. One bet is for when Jean and Marco actually man up and tell the world they're having sex with each other. (It's not a date we're betting on, but a situation. Me and Reiner have 'near death experience')." Bertl explains. "Same with Sasha and Connie, only when they actually start having sex. I have ten gold pieces on 'a very cold night'. Reiner's on for 'thank god you're alive sex'."

Krista taps her chin, "I'm in. Ymir too." she puts her tiny fists on her tiny hips _'Seriously she is so tiny...'_ and demands, "Kinks boy. Now."

Bertholdt isn't ashamed nor embarrassed by what 'gets him off'. But it's one thing to accept your kinks, it's another thing entirely to tell them to a woman who's intention is to tell her girlfriend; her loud and slightly _rude_ girlfriend. Also, he doesn't want to be the subject of post lesbian sex pillow talk.

"I like chests... big chests. I don't know why. I'm kinda fond of happy trails." Bertl can feel himself start to sweat a little. _'What if she tells everyone, I shouldn't trust her-'_

"Happy trail?"

"It's the thin trail of pubic hair that leads to-" Bertl just lifts his shirt to show her. "This." he quickly pulls it back down. Krista giggles.

"I didn't know it had a name." she clears her throat, "Go on."

Bertl wants to crawl into a hole, he hopes saying these things out loud doesn't come back to bite him in the ass later. "Um..." he thinks back to all his romantic accounters and what they all had in common, and what he _really_ liked when they did stuff. "The-the back of my neck is pretty sensitive... I like it when my hair is petted... (maybe a little pulled). I like-" Bertholdt shakes his head, he won't say anything about _that_ yet. It came to him in a steamy dream shortly after meeting Reiner, and _that_ wasn't something he was ready to process.

"Sorry that's all I can think of right now."

Krista stands huffing. "Well... that's pretty vanilla." Bertholdt is unfamiliar with the term, but the way she's disappointed and what he listed off he, can only assume 'vanilla' means average. "But you did give me some things to discuss with Ymir. Connie and Sasha huh..." she trods back to the girls' tent.

Bertholdt resumes his watch, praying Krista doesn't abuse what little knowledge he gave her.

* * *

In the morning Ymir hands coins to Armin for their bets. It was agreed Armin was to hold the bet money, being as he's the most responsible. The second choice was Marco, but he's part of one of the bets and can't know that.

Jean puts that strange mint green powder in his water during breakfast. Bertholdt wonders at this, he's curious to what it is and does, but doesn't want to pry. Jean's face scrunches in discuss shaking his head. Marco frowns and says something, Jean shrugs and says something back.

Bertholdt's snooping is interrupted with Reiner's continuous game of twenty questions.

"Can you play an instrument?"

"No." Bertholdt sips his tea, it's good.

"How many questions do I have left?" Reiner hauls his saddle on Orion, the horse huffs in annoyance. Lady is already saddled, fed and ready to go. Reiner just woke up late.

"You've asked ten so far." Berthold nibbles on some biscuit.

"Favorite season."

"Don't have one. I don't like sweltering hot weather though. I sweat enough as it is, I don't need the weather to give me hand."

Eren drops from the sky, brown feather falling off as he shifts back human. The feathers disintegrated into steam before they even reach the ground. _'Weird.'_ He converses with Armin and Connie, both of them bent over the map. Eren is making expressive gestures as he explains what he saw.

Connie scratches his head, he'll need to shave again, his dark ash grey hair is becoming more apparent as the days go by. Reiner watches too and has a thoughtful look about him. He looks down at Bertholdt who in turn raises his brow at him.

"What have you made, _yourself_ , in the forges?" Reiner stands by him. Ymir is making a crude blowjob gesture behind Reiner's back. Bertholdt glares at her, Reiner searches behind him for the cause, but only sees Ymir rubbing the back of her hand.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing." Reiner gives him a look. "I told some things to Krista last night and now Ymir is teasing me about it is all." the blond gives him another look, "It's fine, it's nothing - friendly teasing between friends. Really Reiner." He smiles hoping Reiner doesn't pry too much.

Lady bumps her head against his back, he turns startled and strokes between her eyes. She really loves that. Orion rushes over and practically slams his great black head into Lady's neck. Bertholdt hops back nearly falling while Lady strikes like a snake. Her teeth smashing together with a loud _clack_ grazing Orion's flank. The stallion goes to retaliate, Bertl's mare does the same. Reiner and Bertholdt rush to pull apart their horses.

Reiner can't contain his giggles, Bertl fails to see what's so funny. "Su-sorry. That's Orion's way of fler-flirting. _UHGHUIM_." Reiner clears his throat. "He get's a bit... um, agitated when lady horses deny his affections."

Bertholdt sooths his horse, she's pawing at the ground and flicking her tail. She looks like a pissed cat. "Does he know the concept of 'not interested'?" Bertholdt swings a leg over Lady. Reiner follows.

"Guess not." he pats his horse on the neck, the horse huffs and turns his head away from the pats. "So?"

"So what?"

"Have you made anything yourself in the forge?"

"Of course I have."

"Well _what_ have you made?"

"Is this question twelve?" Bertholdt is enjoying annoying Reiner with his vague answers.

" _No._ " Reiner says pushing Bertl on the shoulder. Lady is shorter than Orion, but with his height it puts himself and Reiner at eye level with each other.

"Plenty of things. Tiaras (for a distant cousin's birthday), necklaces (to sell in town), armor, daggers, steel arrows. I made a sword once. I left it at home though." Bertholdt glances back to make sure the others are actually leaving, him and Reiner wait at the top of the hill.

"What is you favorite thing to craft? For question twelve."

"Mmm..." Bertl dwells deep in his thoughts. "I have two things actually. I really enjoy making things like necklaces and crowns and stuff like that. I really hate to see them go; but the way people's eyes light up when they see them, or how woman get so emotional over something so silly as a man giving them something so simple as a ring. I like seeing that, it makes me feel good."

Connie trots up to meet them, "Eren said there's more villages that looked like they just recently been plundered. The road forks out but joins back together about a mile out. The right fork it closed off on both ends."

"And?" Reiner prods. Connie takes a breathe.

"There's no other way but to go down the left path."

"There's a catch in there isn't there?" Reiner says.

"Raiders are using that path to rob people. Make sure you're ready to do damage, the raiders are mostly humans and dark elves. But they've been adding goblins and..."

"And?"

"Titans."

Ymir is suddenly _right there_ , making Connie nearly fall off his saddle in fright. "Titans? They're a nuetral people, why would they help a bunch of dirty raiders?"

"Dunno."

Bertholdt frowns, titans are a big problem. Not very many weapons can pierce through their hides. They're insanely strong and tall, but peaceful...ish. Guardians of the untamed wild, sometimes they'll get pissed and rampage, eat a few people and move on. No big deal.

"So you said two things, what about the other thing?" Reiner is determined to keep this conversation.

"Armor. There's just something about creating something that can protect someone that's so satisfying. I have this design I've been dying to use, but I haven't had the chance to experiment, nor the model to do it. I don't want this armor to be 'just any armor' I want it to be special. Something that will protect the wearer and someone who will respect the armor. You know?" Bertl explains. There's a dreamy smile that makes Reiner's cheek flush a light shade of pink.

"I'll do it." Reiner says. "You need a test subject and I have a habit of running into danger without proper protection..." Reiner chuckles self-consciously.

"Okay." Bertholdt secretly rejoices.

'Maybe I'll make all my friends something someday. I know their birthdays... Yeah... I'm gunna do it... eventually'

* * *

The road they travel on is hard packed earth from decades - possibly centuries - of foot fall. The canyon walls that surround the road have divots, cracks, and caves. Tall naturally occurring stone towers dot the landscape. Everything is that dusty orange all canyon passes seem to posses; everything from the walls, the earth, even the tiny trickle of dirty stream water that follows the pass. It's not even the width of his arm, and hardly note worthy.

They wearily pass old blackened grounds where campfires had been. Large and small caves above and ground level to them are covertly inspected with the eyes. Each one of them carefully and throughingly searching for the so called raiders that have been ambushing the innocent people in this very pass.

Sasha and Jean have their bows, ready to take down hostile a at a moments notice. His own axe is too big to wield on a horse, so instead he has Eren's small broad sword (Eren choosing to just shift to fight). He made a note to actually buy his own sword at some point. Armin had retrieved his staff from some personal dimension, the grey weathered wood twisting artfully around a glowing blue orb the same color as his eyes. It was strange to watch Armin's hand disappear into thin air, then bring out the staff the same height as him like he was taking a broom out of the broom closet. Bertholdt didn't know what weapon Krista wielded, but what ever it is, it must be small enough to hide on her person. _'Maybe she throws knives?'_

Marco merrily talks to Reiner and Connie, the rest of them giving smiles and nods, giving the illusion of carefree-totally-not-dangerous-people traveling a long beaten down path hundreds of years old. Bertl doubts it would fool the trained eye.

Armin brings his horse close to his own, his staff laying sideways in his lap. "This canyon gives our enemy too many advantages." he comments. His blue eyes licker to a black blur that scuttles back to their hiding place.

Bertholdt nods grimly, "Yes. Too many places one could hide themselves. I haven't sensed any thing overly powerful though. The titans are not here." Armin nods in agreement. Their eyes slowly scan each and every crack in the cliff side.

Every now and again a person-like shape would appear and disappear. Scouting their numbers, weapons, valuables. Simply scouting.

And just like that they leave Satan's Cleft without a single scratch. No one let's their guard down till the canyon is far out of sight.

"I don't like it." Jean scowls.

"Maybe we got lucky. Maybe they moved on, or all their best fighters are away." Sasha addresses.

"I don't think so." Eren says. He's been more sour lately, since his fever he's been quiet and broody. Not once have him and Jean fought.

"There must have been a reason they let us go." Mikasa adds.

"They didn't have titans. What we saw were humans. There was no magic in the canyon that wasn't ours." Bertholdt says, he hands Eren back his sword.

"I suggest we take refuge in a town for the night. They might have let us go to attack us in the night." Reiner advises.

There's a general agreement. Armin leads them to the next village.

* * *

The village isn't really a village, but a fairly large city. Complete with a tall brown stone wall about forty feet high with guards at the open gates and a small castle peeking up from behind the other buildings. The roads made of flat rust colored stone; the houses mostly composed of stone and wood; in the center of the city is a square, jam packed with market stalls. In the far corner out of the way of the city is the castle, strong and stout and made of the same brown stone the walls are made of.

The guards, decked in rust orange capes and bronze shields, stop and search them before letting them pass through the gates.

Marco asks the guards inside for directions to the inns as the rest of them gaze at the simple beauty the city of Laranxa. Everything that counts as decoration or architecture is in varying shades of orange and brown. Very earthy, a bit tacky, but quite comforting. Many types of people venture the streets, mostly humans though.

"House Plant Hotel is the only place in our price range and able to house all of us. The gate guard said it's only a few streets from Market Square." Marco informs them.

"What the fuck kind of name is 'House Plant'?" Jean grouses.

"Don't be rude." Marco chides.

"Will they have stables?" Bertholdt asks.

"No. But he said stables are next door and will be willing to house our horses for a small fee." Marco squirms in his seat.

The House Plant Hotel is the only building they've seen that has grey bricking. The sign hangs above them, slowly swinging with the small breeze going by. The roofing is shingled, with plants pile over the edge, making a sort of green curtain over the front of the building. Plants dominate the interior decorating as well. The people are nice and give them keys to the third floor where "big parties" are given room and board.

Jean takes care of the horses and barters for the stable fees next door. They bring their things indoors and situate their temporary living arrangements. This is the first intact town they've been in in a while, so supplies will be purchased here. Bertholdt figures he's still got about two or three weeks to get to Cullasseth.

Bertholdt ends up sharing a room with Reiner, Eren and Connie; Armin, Jean and Marco share a room; and the girls share another. Each room has four cotton stuffed beds that makes Bertholdt nearly cry when he lays down in one. He's missed beds so much.

Connie doesn't hesitate to strip and go right to sleep.

Eren and Bertl settle on Reiner's bed for the story. Eren wearily bites his lower lip, wondering where to start.

"Did you ever over throw that tyrant noble?" Bertl asks to get the ball rolling.

"Sorta. He was 'elected' out after all his crimes were made public... He was an extreme participant of the Cult. Any time we were in the city - Stohess - the Survey Corps wore hats as part of the uniform. Any nonhuman wasn't invited to formal meetings where hats were taken off. For our safety." Eren answers.

"These cult people do understand that _humans_ are the inferior race? That they're the youngest and weakest race right?" Bertl debated, "I-I shoot, I mean no offense. Just-fuck. I'm sorry that sounded rude." he apologizes.

"Well, you're not wrong, and you don't mean any harm. I think I can forgive you." the way Reiner jokes about it says he's not at all offended.

"I don't know. Maybe they're jealous?" Eren shrugs, not very animated in the conversation like he usually is.

"So why was it so bad you told Hanji? They told this Erwin and Levi guy, but they were your superiors right? Can't be so bad they know." Reiner questions.

"When you put it that way, no it doesn't sound bad; and I never told Hanji they couldn't tell them. I just told them not to tell anyone they don't trust completely. I only told them because Hanji was my doctor in charge of my health. They had a right to know. Commander Erwin as my Commander had to know what he was dealing with; and Levi was my guardian so he had to know too. But it was _what_ they did with the information I trusted them to that makes it unforgivable." Eren hasn't looked them in eye since he sat down. Choosing to stare at the sheets or have his gaze wander the bare room.

Eren runs a hand through his hair. "At first, nothing happened. We just continued on like nothing happened. The experiments stopped because I started to refuse to do them, they started to get more ridiculous by the day so I finally just had enough. I mean who the fuck cares if I can have kids or not? Like, that's non of your business but my own!"

"They get a sperm sample out of you or something?" Reiner asks.

"Tried. Hanji wanted to watch too. God, what the fuck. That's a private affair between a person and their hand. Jesus I swear they're mad." Eren chuckles affectionately.

"It started when Erwin had me shift in front of civilians. No one really thought that was a good idea because civilians are a bunch of pushy panicky people. It ended with people trying to set me on fire calling me a witch and throwing rocks at me. I remember being so scared and confused; Levi was pissed at Erwin. I guess he didn't know about what Erwin made me do until I did it. Erwin admitted he didn't know the people would react so violently." Eren snorts, Reiner rolls his eyes.

"People in a mass are panicky and pushy, like you said. What the fuck else was going to happen? Sunshine and rainbows? A seemingly perfectly healthy human boy turning into a giant hairy beast? The first reaction in a mass is to turn into a mob in the face a of a threat." Reiner's speech is punctuated by a scowl.

"Honestly, I think Erwin wanted people to get use to me. It worked... a little. People still threw rocks at me and tried to curse me; but they tolerated my existence. It got so bad that I was at the point where I was terrified to go outside by myself. Levi had to accompany me everywhere for my protection. Every night Levi would say he was sorry - in his own way." Eren hugs his knees.

"Do you think he was really sorry?" Bertholdt asks.

"Yes. He's the one who made Hanji stop the experiments. Erwin said he felt bad, but I don't think really he does. If he really felt bad, he wouldn't have done it in the first place." Eren answers.

"What did he do?" Reiner pushes. Eren had been dancing around the story all this time, never actually giving a straight answer. It was very unlike him, being that he's a very blunt person. Bertholdt waits though, if what happened makes Eren this out of character, it had to traumatic.

"He framed me for the murder of the Duke and when the police came, he gave me to the Cult." Eren closes his eyes with a exhale so long and sad it's as if his very soul escapes with it.

Reiner and Bertholdt sit there gaping. _'Murder?'_ "I- I don't understand Eren. You said the nobleman was 'elected' out. But you were framed for killing him?" Bertholdt's voice is low, his face quizzical.

"Yes. He was elected out after Hanji was able to get the press to make the Duke's crimes known to more people than scared-shitless citizens and the local police. Everyone in authority was bribed to keep quiet, the journalists and the people threatened to keep quiet. Once Hanji got higher officials like the king to see the truth, he was told to step down or be executed for his crimes against humanity.'

"However, he never actually did anything illegal - at least not to humans. He had been charged with the murder of over thirty faeries, twelve elves of various bloodlines, a few dwarves and a bunch of other 'nonhumans'. He didn't just execute them though. The cult faction he was p-part of tu-tortured who ever they captured." Eren's voice is starting to get wobbly. "There was outcries all over the land from the deceased families that couldn't be ignored by the king. He himself, having a half elven daughter, his majesty was disgusted by these crimes and feared war from many powerful enemies if something wasn't done. War with them just wasn't worth a simple hateful Duke."

"So King Midas gave the Duke the option of dying, or stepping down? Let me guess the families weren't very happy about that?" Reiner says.

"Nope. They wanted retribution, I had actually opened my mouth and agreed with them. He killed over forty _documented_ innocent people in the most horrendous ways. I'm sure there was more victims. He shouldn't have the right to live. Levi told me to keep my mouth shut. 'This doesn't concern you' he said. I screamed at him 'If this doesn't concern me, why the hell did you people bring us into it?' He stayed silent after that."

Connie mutters something in his sleep, they lap into silence till the short man stills once more.

"I don't know who did it, I expect it was one of the clans, or all of them. I don't know. But I was on patrol - in my beast form - with Jean when we heard a scream. We rushed over, in our haste we failed to see the blood before I lost my footing and slipped and slid in it. By the time I righted myself, I was covered in blood. Jean was able to stop himself from falling, but he looked really sick. Like sea sick or something." Eren's gaze once again wanders.

"I didn't understand what was going on till I backed into the fat body of the Duke. He was torn to shreds like he was ravaged by a wild animal or something. In my confusion the curtains opened to the small party residing at the Dukes home, (he was going to 'present' himself to his 'far thee well' party). Disgusting. They immediately assumed I did it. Erwin was there with Levi and Hanji and my friends. Jean was out of sight, but the guards caught him and they surrounded me. The kept pouring in, I was so scared in confused. Why where they calling me a murderer? I didn't do anything! Jean tried to clear my name, but no one was listening. Erwin dragged Jean away saying something about not interfering with justice."

"But-" Bertl leaves it there. Reiner pats Eren in the leg.

"I was captured and brought completely naked and bloody in front of everyone in shame. I didn't understand, I tried to tell them I didn't do it, but they hit me till I stopped talking. Levi was besides himself in anger. He was just as shocked as everyone else, but Erwin. I can't forget his face. Erwin, he just sat there, like he _knew._ The trial they sent me to was just... a set up. Erwin no longer had need of me, I was an under aged orphan, and was no longer considered human. I was given to the cult." Eren lays down on his back. The bed is just big enough for them to sit on so it's a bit of a struggle.

"It was the first time I've ever seen Levi lose his cool. He whipped his hat off and starting screaming about my innocence. Erwin had to restrain him. My friends whipped their hats off too and did the same. Hanji... they... they just sat down looking at their hands. It was them that said I'm not human anymore. Their information was the last nail in my hypothetical coffin. I don't know what happened after, I was restrained and knocked out before things could escalate to violence." Eren stares at the ceiling.

"I woke up naked again, in chains, in a dark cramped cell." Eren stands up and walks away. _'Story time is over I guess.'_

"How did you get out?" Reiner asks so gently. Like talking to a butterfly.

"I'll tell you later." Eren shrugs, he looks as if he has something very heavy sitting on his shoulders.

Bertholdt gets up and hugs Eren. He hugs him tight. He knows it's awkward and he's probably killing Eren with the strength he's squeezing at, but Eren slowly wraps his arms around his middle and hugs back. Reiner joins the hug. He squeezes twice as hard as Bertholdt; Eren begins to wheeze.

"Stop! You're gunna kielll mee!" Eren struggles out of the grip, "Leeet me goo." Eren manages to wiggle away, gasping for breath on the flood. "holy shit."

Reiner slowly lets go of Bertl, his hand gliding down his side deliberately. Bertl blushes, but turns away so Reiner can't see it. It most likely wasn't even intentional.

"You don't have to tell us you know. All I wanted to know was what you were..." Bertl looks down at Eren.

"It helps. I never spoke to anyone about it, because everyone I'm close too already knows, or don't want to ask. Talking has actually helped. It may not seem like it, but forcing myself to remember has actually helped me heal, because I'm remembering so I can talk about it easier and not have to think about how to explain... Does that makes sense?"

"Not really." Bertl admits.

"Ah... well, it's therapeutic I guess. To just have a non biased audience I guess." Eren smile reassuringly.

"Alright. Goodnight Eren." Reiner yawns, crawling into bed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Laranxa means "orange" in Galician... I used google translate for this so... yeah...
> 
> Satan's Cleft... hehehe... I couldn't think of a name for the canyon pass, so I ask my mom and she started thinking out loud: "Satan's.... road... pass.... Devil's Canyon... nono that's already taken... Satan's crack-" I busted up laughing then because 'crack' naturally made me think of butt crack and like a dork I scream "Satan's butt crack!" My mom looked so disappointed [oops]. But yeah.... Cleft sounded like a "cleaner" word...
> 
> THANKS FOR TOLERATING THINGS I THINK ARE FUNNY ILY.


	7. Peace is the Color of Orange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bertholdt enjoys the peaceful city, Laranxa.
> 
> He buys a sword and is coerced into buying a bow.
> 
> Jean's acting weird and so is Reiner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really happy with this chapter :/
> 
> Sorry that it took longer than usual. I didn't feel like writing, then my friend was feeling lonely so I went to visit him. Then I got caught up in an online game and also couldn't figure out how to write.
> 
> So before I forget [this](http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p179/ChishioAme/sword_iomhair.png) is Bertholdt's sword inspiration. [Not really cuz I wrote the description then went online for proper terms for the part names for sword and found a sword that sorta looks like it. Also [this](http://images.lancasterarchery.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/13db83bec1fbd986744c31150a1b2502/6/1/6140046_6.jpg) is Bertl's bow only black. Yeah pretty primitive. [same w/ the sword, I looked up terminology after I wrote everything].
> 
> I would also like to note that I have no idea how much things cost, so roll with me.

Bertholdt doesn't want to wake up. The bed he lays in, so soft and warm and cozy, not even the morning light beaming right on his face is enough to stir him. His blanket still retained some resemblance to home, and the hotel's blanket smelled clean and fresh. The pillows made of something soft and squishy he could not put a name to. He'd prefer his own bed back home, but lord had he missed actual real beds.

"Bertholdt come on man wake up. You're gunna miss breakfast!" He's pretty sure it's Connie trying to roll him off the bed.

"Nu, cumfy. Gu away." Bertl growls back burrowing deeper.

Connie mumbles something. There's a _poof_ of a pillow hitting him, but Bertl just incorporates the pillow into his nest. Connie mumbles more, angry foot steps head toward the door, Connie slams the door. "I fucking tried! You try to get that colossal disaster out of bed!"

 _'Fuck you too, you midget.'_ Bertholdt sighs and sits up. He yawns and rubs the sleep out of his eyes. Bertl stretches the fatigue out of his limbs with satisfying cracks.

The door opens with a polite squeak, Bertl looks over to see Reiner inching in. "You don't have to be quiet. I'm up."

Reiner starts, not expecting Bertl to be awake. He pushes the door open more surely and strides in. "Connie said he was gunna give me thirty gold pieces to body slam you out of bed."

"No thanks." Bertl gets up and heads to his things to change.

"Madame Joyfree has breakfast. She's a very harsh lady and lives up to her name." Reiner warns waving and shutting the door as he leaves. Bertl grunts in reply.

After breakfast Bertholdt drags Reiner to the market. "Why? There's a bar; there's a show; there's a million different things we could be doing besides this. Why are we shopping!?" Reiner wails.

Bertl ignores him and continues to browse the cloth selection. He ripped his shirt the other day, (snagged it on a branch while he visited the bushes) and it's in need of sewing. "If you find this so boring, then leave. I brought you long because I thought you'd want something. I want to see the quality of the weapons sold here, and maybe get some scratch metal to start on a prototype. A new shirt... maybe some trousers..." by now Bertl is talking more to himself than to his friend.

"Mistah Gab, down deh dere sells some good swords. Missy May got some long bows she lookin' tuh get rid of." The seamstress informs them.

"Where would I find this 'Mister Gab' and 'Miss May'?" Bertholdt asks looking up from the dark green clothe he was inspecting.

Reiner is looking at a dark tan tunic. It's easily too big for him, but with some minor adjustments it would fit him well and make his skin look less pale.

"Mm. I reckon Missy May be setten' her stall up by now. She deh only wun wit the bright pink stall. Mistah Gab wuld be rite behind me. Can't misit wit all the dangerous tings layin' 'bout."

"Thank you." Bertholdt purchases the cloth and some needles and thread. He's sure the girls have some, but he'd like his own. "Reiner?"

Reiner starts, he'd been staring intently at a stall across the square. "Huh? Oh, you go ahead, I think I found something."

Bertl raises a brow but shrugs. "Alright, I'll meet you at the hotel."

Mister Gab is a dwarf, much to the delight and surprise of Bertholdt. Mister Gab gives Bertl several stink eyes as the boy picks up swords and handles them. Mister Gab making comments like "That's not a toy boy!" and "Quit banging my inventory around or I'll knock yer skull in!" You know, normal things cranky old men say to the younger generations.

Eventually Bertl picks a sword of dwarvish steel about as long as his legs (including hilt). It's heavy, but not to his strong arms. It's perfectly balanced and very pretty. Bertl thinks it's love at first sight.

"You finally done kid?" Mister Gab waddles over. He walks like an overstuffed chicken (without the head bobbing) due to an obvious leg injury some time ago.

"Yeah. How much do you want for this. I can't go over two hundred gold pieces." Bertl says, admiring the way the sun gleams off the woven hilt. It has gold and green enchanted leather for the grip - so your sweat doesn't make you slip. The cross guard simple and small; the pummel smooth and beautifully round - like a cane head.

Mister Gab whistles. "I don't know boy, that's awfully cheap for what yer holding." the dwarf crosses his arms in disapproval.

"It's all I can afford. It's a long way to go and my axe is too big most times." Bertl comments. "I'm staying in town for a few days. I'll be willing to work for it."

"What the hell can a scrawny kid like you do anyway." It's more of a statement than a question.

Bertl smiles. "I can smith. I'm a hundred years too young to be called an expert, but I'm pretty good. I can sharpen tools, weapons, utensils... anything that needs polishing, I'll do that too." Gab isn't sold so Bertl reaches up to remove his hat, "I can read, write, and speak both dwarvish and elvish."

Mister Gab smirks and laughs a low deep rumble. "All right boy. The sword is yours for one hundred gold pieces and twelve hours of hard labor!"

Bertl's surprised by the price, but decides not to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Deal." he puts his hat back on, "I'll be back a little while later. I still have things to do and need to let my friends know I'll be missing for a while."

Mister Gab waves him away, already glaring menacingly at the next customer.

Bertholdt then searches for Miss May's stall. Sure enough there's a stall with bright pink fabric draped over it. Expertly carved bows hang delicately around her. Miss May herself is breath takingly beautiful. She has dark eyes, hair and skin. Her skin tone a rich brown, no other way to describe her skin tone other than 'brown'. Her dark hair is in tight curls pulled taut into a poofy tail.

"Can I help you?" She grins and turns toward her newest costumer. _'She's an elf'_ this is the first time he's personally met a dark skinned elf.

"Um, yes. I was told you sell long bows? I'm not an archer, but I can shoot." Bertholdt provides. Honestly he's only window shopping by this point. There's still weeks till he gets to Cullasseth and he needs to start saving.

Miss May looks him up and down, Bertl just stands there awkwardly. She grins wider, "I got a few that may suit you." She beckons for him to follow, she grabs a few bows as she leads him behind her stall. There's a small archery range set up. May hands him a bow made from ox horn. "Try this one."

Bertl experiments pulling back the string and getting into stance. It's almost too taut for him to pull back enough to notch the arrow. He manages but he misses the target my a foot. He reddens in embarrassment.

"I'm... out of practice."

"I can tell." She hands him another - made of pine wood he thinks. This one is too lose for him. He hits the target, but the weight of the bow is uncomfortably light for him.

"Do you have anything heavy like the ox horn bow, but not so tight?" Bertl asks hoping he makes sense.

"Mmm. I may. Are you going to buy any of my bows? You'll need arrows. And a quiver." she's tall for a woman; coming up to his chin.

"I might. I'm a little low on money." Bertl shrugs. He's starting to feel uncomfortable.

May sighs and goes back to her stall. She digs around some and comes back with a black bow. Bertl doesn't know what it's made of, the sunlight reflects off its polished surface gracefully. The grip is a simple dark brown leather, the string simple. The whole thing is actually pretty simple, the shape a gentle arch. Bertholdt immediately falls in love.

Miss May smirks, "Try this one. Fifty silver pieces for it. Add ten gold pieces and I'll throw in a quiver full of arrows." Bertl frowns.

He takes the bow, it's smooth and heavy. He's sure Sasha would find it easy to wield, but it's half his height. Bertl notches an arrow and lets it fly. The black arrow hits the center with ease.

May whistles. "Not bad halfling. Fifteen gold pieces."

"This bow has to be worth more than that." Bertl questions. He wonders how she _knows._ _'Maybe she's a seer or something... my hat didn't slip... Did it?'_

"It is, but I'm a sucker for the handsome." She grins coyly.

"Um. Thank you?" Bertholdt's not sure how to react to that. It's nice, it warms his heart, but it's awkward.

In the end Bertholdt coughs up the money and buys the bow, arrows, and quiver. Maybe he'll practice with Sasha. Maybe he won't use it at all. He doesn't know.

Bertholdt heads back to their rooms before he spends any more money on things he doesn't need.

* * *

 

Him and Armin casually walk down the stairs together - after a lengthy tutoring session in elvish - for dinner, to find Sasha sobbing over something broken in her hands and Connie desperately trying to calm her down.

"Sa-Sasha! It's okay, it wasn't your fault. The guy tried to make a grab at you." Connie is patting her back awkwardly. Krista is also trying to sooth her, she seems a bit shaken up too.

Armin and Bertholdt eye each other in confusion. "What happened?" Armin says concerned.

Bertl's concerned too, he's never seen Sasha cry like this. Sure she cries a lot, but it's more of a mocking whine than actual sad feeling. This was heart broken sobbing.

"Uh- a ma-man tried to make a-a sexual grab at us and Sasha hit him with her bow." Krista explains. Her voice is strong but has the occasional wobble in it. "The man didn't like that we didn't like the ha-harassment so he attacked us and Sasha's bow got broken in the process. I'm so gl-glad Reiner was able to scare him away. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't been there." Krista wipes a tear away.

Reiner isn't in the room and neither is Marco. In fact a number of people are missing. He wonders where they're at.

Connie continues to try and sooth his sad friend. "Sasha we can just get a new one. A better one. One that's not so ratty yeah? How about a metal one? I heard they're much more accurate and durable than wooden ones!"

"NO YOU DONT UNDERSTAND!" Sasha wails. "This was my first b-bow-hohoho." she sniffles. "My father made it for me-hehe spe-special."

"Miss May in the market place has many high quality bows. I'm sure she'll be able to help. I'll go with you, she seems to fancy me." Bertholdt offers. Connie slumps, glad he's not the only one throwing ideas out.

Sasha sniff grossly, "Can-can she fix my bow?" She holds out the worn wood, its splintered just outside the grip. Absolutely splintered, there's no way it could possibly be fixed.

Bertl shrugs. "I don't know. But her bows really are high quality. I can show you the one I bought?" Bertholdt gently persuades.

Sasha sniffles, "O-okay."

* * *

 

Turns out, Reiner and Marco stayed behind to talk to police and help them catch the guy.

Sasha was absolutely sold on Miss May after seeing his black bow. Sasha had asked him if he's named it, he said no. Naming objects had always seemed a bit silly to him (he makes a mental note to think of one for his sword too; come to think of it, his axe needs a name too).

So after Marco and Reiner returned and Sasha had calmed down, Bertl took them (her and Connie who insisted on going) over to Miss May's, who was in the process of closing down.

"Miss May!" Bertholdt calls, she looks up startled, but grins as he walks closer. "I'm sorry for bothering so close to closing time, but my friend got in a scuffle that resulted in her bow getting broken." May's grin disappears as she folds her arms across her large chest and does that thing where women jut their hips out in annoyance. "I managed to convenience her that you have the best bows." Bertl's starting to sweat under May's intense gaze.

Sasha and Connie catch up. Miss May looks them up and down in disapproval, gaze zeroing in on Sasha's broken bow clutched in her hands.

"Alright. Never good to turn down a customer." May vanishes behind her stall yanking out several bows - both long and short - that would fit Sasha's height and strength. Connie inspects some crossbows with pierced lips and a narrowing gaze of intense thought.

Sasha picks up a few and tests their give, notches some arrows and lets them fly toward the targets - much like Bertl did earlier that day. She doesn't appear to be all that into it. Her frown deepens with every bow. Bertl thinks he understands, _'They're not_ her _bow. They will never be her bow either.'_

While Sasha tests, Miss May takes the broken bow and inspects it. She runs her thin fingers along the bow, she seems almost in a trance. May's face softens, the hard lines in her face smoothing. "Come here girl. I have a the bow just for you."

She tosses the broken one to Connie, who fumbles to catch it. Sasha place the bow she was testing on the counter and waits.

Miss May brings out a bow of soft brown wood with leather grips of black leather. Sasha's face lights up. "It's beautiful!" she exclaims. As she fires shot after shot her aura begins to get back her original spark. "I'LL TAKE IT!" she yells.

"Five gold pieces; since you're a friend of cutey here." Miss May announces, Bertl blushes and looks away. _'I'm not into older woman. Sorry.'_

Sasha practically throws the money at her. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou-" Sasha goes on as Connie apologizes and drags her away.

"Thank you." Bertholdt says, "She was very distraught. She said her father made her that bow."

"Oh if only you were a hundred years older." Miss May comments.

"What?"

"Nothing dear."

Bertholdt leaves slightly confused.

* * *

 

Jean has been acting strange. He rolls his shoulders in discomfort every ten or so minutes. He's seems more tired lately and has had several whispered arguments with both Eren and Marco. Bertholdt had asked Armin what was wrong, but Armin said he wasn't at liberty to discuss it.

Just this morning he winced as he leaned back in his chair. It's strange, but Bertl tries not to dwell on it. He just hopes Jean is all right.

That green powder makes more appearances too. He slips it in his drinks when he thinks no one's watching.

Eren looks apologetic to Jean. Whispering reminders that what he needs is in the elven city. Bertl doesn't know what's going on between them, but it has to be doctor-patient. Maybe he's sick? Jean doesn't _look_ sick.

Either way Bertholdt gathers that 1) Jean has been having back pain. He complains about it itching and feels like his back is being pinched all the time. 2) The pain is localized between his shoulder blades and back-ribs area. 3) The powder is only a temporary solution to what ever is ailing him. It is not a permanent solution, but a suppressor. 4) Eren feels awful about not being able to help like he should be able to. 5) The powder is almost gone and Eren doesn't have any more. However, the ingredients are easy to find and the concoction is easy to make.

Bertholdt feels like a creeper snooping like this. But he's just curious. These people are his friends and he cares for them. Armin has been dropping hints, but Bertholdt still doesn't understand. He already gathered that Jean might have had a recent nonhuman ancestor. _"Jean's great-grandmother wasn't human."_

Bertholdt elects to ignore this. He'll figure it out soon enough. Jean is more embarrassed about what ever this is than in actual pain, so it shouldn't be that bad.

* * *

 

Eren is gone that night.

Armin said his father is in town and Eren wanted to speak with him.

Bertholdt shrugs, disappointed about story time being delayed, but who was he to get in the way of a father and son meeting. From the way things are, it seems they rarely get to see each other.

Mikasa went with him. "I want to see uncle." she had said. Eren shrugged and left with her.

Reiner has been quiet lately and Bertholdt doesn't know why. He's usually so out there and into the mass. But lately he's been off in the corner, quietly reading some tomb or whatever. Bertholdt had asked him what was wrong, but Reiner had said that he needed some peace and to catch up on his reading.

Bertl understands, but still finds the atmosphere around him strange. Everyone is in subdued moods - not in a bad way, more like vacation laziness. While it's not an unhappy atmosphere, it still sets Bertholdt on edge. This city and the inhabitants sure are peaceful. Not once has he spotted or heard of any anti magical creature hate, talk, or cult.

All of them have some sort of temporary job to help pay for provisions, stable/hotel fees, and to get a little extra money for themselves; so Bertl doesn't feel so out of place when he leaves early in the morning to help the gimp Mister Gab with setting up his displays.

Many shop keeper are making plans to start building actual building instead of relying on stalls. Bertl thinks that's a great idea, it's certainly safer and easier to care for.

Two days later Mikasa and Eren return with smiling faces and pleasant moods. Eren hands Jean several small bags of dark lavender powder and some cocoa colored cream stuff. The man fairly cries in relief. Eren hands Marco the cream, "For his back, to sooth the itching. Make sure Jean drinks ALL of the tea and prepares it correctly." Marco nods.

"It won't last long, I'll be able to make a bigger dose once we get to Cullasseth." Eren instructs to Jean.

Jean nods, "That's fine. Just ran out of the other stuff. Will this stop it completely?"

"Yes. But it will come back. It always will." Eren warns.

Jean sighs defeated. "I know."

Eren pats Jean on the shoulder and leaves him. Marco takes Eren's place by his side. "It's not so bad Jean. I think they're beautiful."

 _'I am so confused.'_ Bertl tears his ears and eyes away from something that's none of his business. _'Just friends my ass. You two are totally doing each other.'_

The stall Reiner had been eyeing that morning was a library of sorts. Reiner didn't elaborate other than "They had all these interesting books Bertl, and I'm so behind on my reading. I don't read very much and sometimes it's nice to sit back with a good book. You know?" Bertholdt grins at him.

"I didn't know you could read." he teases. Reiner mocks hurts and pushes him playfully.

"Here, I just finished this one, it's a good read." Reiner tosses a leather bound tomb at him as he crawls into bed, blowing his candle out as he does.

Bertholdt falls asleep reading the book Reiner recommended.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I don't understand why, but how come there's not POC elves? So I made one. I like her. Miss May is like 300 yrs old and really loves the tall boys. She has an age limit though, [no younger than 100 and no older than 500] she's originally from an elven clan in the far south.
> 
> If anyone uses this au and uses May, I'll give you liberty on the name of the clan and exact place in the south she's from.
> 
> Also Mister Gab is a dwarf from the Rose mountain. He sorta got bored and moved to travel around selling his stuff, cuz why the hell not?
> 
> Last but not least I'm 100% sure I got accents wrong.


	8. Levi Doesn't Know How To Express How Sorry He Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bertholdt and Reiner have breakfast together.
> 
> Eren finally ends his tale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! Finally Eren's story is complete! (bout fucking time am I right?)

Bertholdt woke with the hard cover of his book digging harshly in his spine. Groggy from sleep, he dug around in the sheets for the book, tossing it on the night stand before heading for the toilet.

By the time he gets out Reiner is patiently waiting outside the door doing the peepee dance. "Oh thank god." the blond rushes in nearly knocking Bertl over.

"You're welcome."

Connie and Eren are still asleep. At some point in the night Connie had thrown all his blankets off him leaving them to pool on the floor. Eren on the other hand looks as if he's hardly moved at all.

Bertl sits on the edge of the bed. It's still early enough for him to go back to sleep, but he's wide awake now and reading has lost it's appeal since tutoring Armin. Bertl sighs and flops down, stretching his muscles and enjoys the early morning bird song filtering in through the open window.

Reiner shuffles in just as Connie begins to snore. It's not loud, but it's nasally and has a slight whistle to it.

"You awake?" Reiner asks. He's shrugging out of his sleep clothes, Bertl sits up.

"Yeah. Too awake to go back to sleep." Bertholdt's feet paw at the plush carpeting willing himself to not watch Reiner bend over as he slips off his sleep pants. Bertholdt gets up and starts to dress for the day. Anything to distract himself. "I think I might do a little exploring around the city." he comments, his tone inviting.

"That sounds fun. I think I'll join you." Reiner accepts the invitation.

The morning is a bit chilly, thin fog twirls at their feet as they stroll down the empty streets. Too early for any normal citizen out, the only people up are the shop keepers and juvenile delinquents sneaking back home after a night of fun.

"I didn't think it was this early." Reiner comments squinting at the rising sun, just barely peeking over the wall.

"Me either."

They travel down the streets, back tracking anytime they find themselves in a dead end or an alley too shady looking to risk. A few guards stop and question them, but a friendly smile and an honest "Just touring" fends them off. The side roads are surprisingly clean for such a large city with so many people. Bertl would find this suspicious if not for the criminals yawning and grumbling about being forced to work so early. Bertl and Reiner know they're criminals from their gaudy too big onesie and the guards watchful eyes on them. The ankle chains kinda give it away too.

"It's been a few days." Reiner comments. They're passing Market Square again and Bertholdt is thinking about seeing if this town has a library. He hasn't seen one.

"Huh?"

"What question am I even on? I've forgotten."

"Oh. Thirteen... I think. Do you think Laranxa has a library?" Bertholdt hopes to distract Reiner from their never ending game. He's admittedly gotten bored of it.

"I haven't seen one, but I imagine something like that might be closer to the education district?" Reiner pauses to read a street sign. "Or maybe it's closer to the mansion..."

"Mmm... well we've already explored this area, the rich part of the city should provide more entertaining." Bertholdt leads Reiner down a street with a name he can't pronounce. The cobble stones slowly become cleaner and less grimy the farther they travel. By now the sun is in full view, the wall giving the illusion of the sun resting upon it.

"What is your favorite gem?" Reiner pipes.

Bertl sighs. "You've already asked that."

"Damn... Color?" Bertl shakes his head, "Uh... OH!"

'Oh god. Please nothing stupid.'

"Your dream girl." Reiner has the biggest shit eating grin ever. He waggles is insanely thin eyebrows at him.

Bertholdt rolls his eyes. "I've never really thought about it before."

"Oh come on! _Everyone_ has a dream partner!" Reiner bounces in front of him, preventing Bertl from walking any further.

"Seriously Reiner. I've never really given it a thought. It's pretty shallow isn't it? If I connect with someone who I wouldn't mind spending a lifetime with then that's that. Their looks or my fantasies shouldn't matter." Bertl retorts.

Reiner stands down chaste. "Sorry buddy, didn't mean to push you like that... But come _on_ 'just anybody' won't doooo, what's your type?"

_'You.' "Why do you even want to know?" Bertl wants to punch something. It's not that he's angry, it's just that urge to want to punch your best friend in the face for being a prying prick._

"Because you're my buddy, my best friend! If I see a bangin' babe that totally suits your needs, I'll send her your way." Their walk continues. More people are up on this side of town. Mostly old people in rocking chairs on porches doing stereotypical old people stuff. Bertl politely waves at them as they pass.

"I hope you don't call women 'Banging babes' to their faces." Bertholdt comments.

"Answer the question."

"Ooh. Big boy voice." Bertl chuckles. "You going to spank me for being bad?" _'Ohmygawd!BertholdtHooveryouwillshutyourmouthrightnow!'_ Bertholdt sweats and turns red.

Reiner's cheeks are pink. "You in to that?" he squeaks.

Bertholdt shrugs, trying to come off as casual but failing. _'This is why I don't talk.'_ "Never tried it... dunno."

Awkward silence settles between them, till Bertl decides to go ahead and tell his fussy friend what he likes.

"I would like... her to be... reliable. U-umm bi-big chested... heh-she," Bertholdt struggles with keeping the female pronouns. He doesn't know Reiner's opinion on homosexuals, or any sexuality other than hetero, and he doesn't want to make a mistake. "She... she'll have kind eyes... and I-I think I'd like someone tall and strong. Like, can fight like a warrior strong... so-so I don't feel like I'm going to break her. You know?"

Reiner nods, he looks sad for some reason.

"Someone where I can rest my head on his chest and she'll keep me safe and warm, even though it's technically my job..." Bertholdt internally panics at his slip. Hopefully Reiner didn't notice.

"So... you want a strong, large chested friend, but with sex." Reiner adds.

Bertholdt shrugs. "Yeah. I mean sex isn't everything, some people don't care for it as much as others. I'm fine with or without it. I'd just can't be sexual with someone I just met. Unless I'm under the influence of something..." Bertholdt flushes red at the memory. He'd just turned sixteen and went to town for a little adventure and maybe make a friend. He ended up half drunk with someone's hand down his pants. He never got his name or even remember what he looked like. He remembers those hands though... But other than that, he can't bring himself to have sexual encounters without creating some sort of a bond with them.

Reiner grins at him. It's a lewd grin, a grin he gives Connie to tease him. Bertholdt starts to sweat anxiously.

"Bertholdt."

"...Yes..?" He doesn't like the sing song tone of Reiner's voice.

"Are you a virgin?"

"What!" Bertholdt yells. His voice echoes down the empty streets. He flushes and ducks his head. "I don't see how that's any of your business." Bertl mutters.

"But Bertl! I need to know so I can get you lucky!"

 _'Reiner no.'_ Bertholdt stares at the blond in horror. "Absolutely not! I trust with you with a lot of things, human Reiner Braun, but finding me a potential sexual partner is not one."

Reiner has the audacity to look offended.

"Ugh. Fine." Reiner crosses arms in defeat. _'Oh thank heavens'_ "Question fourteen. Are you a virgin." _'I spoke too soon.'_

"Depends on what you define as virgin." Bertholdt sighs out. "I have never penetrated anyone, nor have I myself been penetrated. ohmygawdIcan'tbelieveIjustsaidthat." Bertholdt adds lowly to himself covering his face with his hands.

"So... you've fooled around?" Reiner asks, it's innocent really, Reiner's just curious. _'Curiosity killed the cat, you fucking ox.'_ Bertholdt nods. "With what? Hands? Mouth? You? Them?"

Bertl flushes hotly. "Bu-both."

"Oh?" Reiner's cheeks are pink. The way he blushes has always fascinated Bertholdt. It's always starts high on his cheek bones, spread just under his eyes and across the wide bridge of his nose. Eventually, if embarrassed enough, it will slowly creep down his cheeks to flood his neck and disappear down his shoulders. Bertl would like to see how far that blush really goes some day. "With who? Dwarf? Elven? Human? I've hear fairies are playful. Some one else?" more brow wiggles.

"Mo-mostly human..."

"Have a thing for humans?"

Bertholdt shrugs, they've come across a small café already open. Some people are inside for breakfast, it's about that time he supposes. "Not particularly, but they're closer to my height. Elves don't usually venture so far to Maria. Dwarves... are awkward for me... the women are nice enough, but they're so small... and I don't really find the men there particularly attra-" Bertl stops talking, eyes wide. _'Shitshitshitshitshit-'_

Thanks to the delicious aromas drifting to them from the café, Reiner seems to have missed his second slip of the tongue in favor of salivating over the yummy smelling food hidden inside.

"I'm hungry. You want to eat here?" Reiner asks.

"Ye-yeah!" Bertholdt cringes at his over enthusiasm. Reiner only gives him a weird look before propping the door open for them.

"Thanks." Reiner ends up holding the door open for several more people, so Bertholdt ventures in to grab an empty table.

"Hey, I have a weird question." Reiner plops himself down on the chair across from him.

"Question fifteen?" Bertholdt asks with a raised brow.

"No no." Reiner waves his hands dismissively, "Has Jean been acting... off to you?"

Bertholdt nods, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed. Armin said his great grandmother - or something - wasn't human. I don't know if that has anything to do with it though."

"Hmm." Reiner shrugs and picks up a menu Bertl hadn't noticed before. "Maybe it does."

"What's that?" Bertholdt peeks over his own menu, Reiner lowers his.

"What if he has to do with something that carried down from his great whatever. My half brother is a human-dwarf hybrid, and he has back issues because his spine is dwarf, but his limbs are human. He's a bit awkward to look at, he has to stay in a wheelchair 'coz it bothers him so much."

"I've heard that happens, sometimes genetics go bad. Whatever it is, Jean is completely against people knowing. He's so red whenever he talks about it to Marco or Eren. It makes me think he's embarrassed by it." Bertholdt finally picks something. Potatoes and eggs with a side of sausage.

Reiner tosses his menu aside. "Eh. Not our business."

"Excuse me, are you gentlemen ready to order?" a very soft and high pitched voice says, grabbing their attention.

Bertl and Reiner turn towards their waitress. They're surprise to see a fairy. Bertl hasn't seen a fairy in months. She's such a tiny thing, probably only as tall as a human three year old. Her wings flutter fast to keep her hovering at eye level to them as she takes their orders. Her skin has an unearthly sunny glow to it; her hair an impossible blue.

She leaves to place their order and comes back with their drinks.

"Amazing. I haven't seen a fairy in ages." Reiner stares at the minute traces of fairy dust left on the edge of the table and floor. A simple breeze coming in from another customer entering the café sends the dust into the air to melt into the natural dust around them. "I've forgotten how beautiful they are."

The thing about fairies is that they come in three sizes: pixie, petite, and dwarf.

Pixie fairies (the smallest of the fairy races), stand at no less than 4 inches, no taller than a foot. Pixies are fickle and temperamental creatures, often found causing mischief to any and all. It's not uncommon for them to hang around the young children and become familiars to certain witches and wizards.

Petite fairies stand about two and a half feet (give or take a few inches). So about the height of a human toddler. Much more flighty than pixies, their minds aren't always on the same astral plain as everyone else. Most times they speak in babbles only understood by their own on the same plane. They make awful companions.

Dwarf fairies have absolutely no connection to the dwarfs other than the name. They grow about as tall as three to four and half feet. These fairies are much more "mature" than their counterparts. They're the only ones to be able to reproduce with another species other than their own kind. (Their waitress is a dwarf).

Of course there are many different types of fairies. Fire fairies, nature fairies, water fairies, fairy this, fairy that. Out of all the sentient magical creatures, fairies are by far the most diverse species. Unfortunately they're in constant danger of slavers. Their dust; their wings; their very bodies sell at insanely high prices in the black markets. Bertholdt doesn't see why, as you can just literally ask any fairy politely and they'll give you any fairy dust you want, maybe even give you old wings they've shed.

"Yeah." Bertholdt agrees staring at where she had disappeared into the kitchens.

Bertholdt had to cut breakfast short in order to get to Mister Gab's on time, but promised they'd talk more at dinner.

* * *

 

Bertholdt trudges in with a very large headache, exhausted from working all day at Gab's. It wasn't so bad without his insistent squabbling about every little _wrong_ thing Bertl did. He thought it would be fun to smith again, it was, but only when Gab was away and not yelling his ears off.

"Oh man, Bertl you look like shit." Connie _oh so helpfully_ comments as he collapses onto the bed.

"Eren? Do you have anything for this headache?" Bertholdt moans in agony.

Eren laughs. "Yeah, just a sec." there's the sound of rustling and soft muffled foot steps coming his way. "Here, take these with some water. Make sure you eat something afterwards. It's not good to take medicine on an empty stomach."

"Thanks." Bertl does as he's told, then goes down stairs for something to eat.

Reiner happily claps him on the back once he sits down at their table. "HEY BERTL." Reiner shouts. Bertholdt's sure Reiner didn't shout, but to his sensitive brain it certainly feels like it.

"Shshshhhush. Not till the meds kick in." Bertl rests his head in his arms and closes his eyes. Sasha, he thinks, places a bowl of potato soup in front of him. "Thanks." he says to who ever that was.

He eats more surely as his migraine melts away.

"Question fifteen, Why don't you have a beard?" Reiner says deliberately loudly.

"Really?" Betholdt says exasperated.

"Yes really. Your face is like a baby's butt. Every dwarf I've ever met has had crazy, matty, tangled hair and or beard. Even the ladies. Why don't you." Reiner sasses.

"'Coz I don't look good in one. Both my dwarven and elven sides have straight dark hair, so I just got the genetic luck with manageable hair. I did once, grow a beard, a few years ago. It was by accident really; there had been a lot of back up work from a cave in that injured about half the work force, so the uninjured had to work triple the amount of time you usually would." Bertl tears his bread into smaller pieces. "I never had the time for personal hygiene between work, eating, and what little sleep I could slip in."

"Ya?" Reiner rolls his wrist.

"Well I grew a beard, and shaved it off as soon as I saw it." Bertl shakes his head with a stern frown. "And I can't possibly count how many times I've seen someone's beard catch fire. My uncle has a scar right here," Bertl points to his jaw where it bends towards the ear, "where he caught on fire." Bertholdt makes a pile with his bread pieces, Sasha is eying them hungrily. "Short hair is safer."

"Isn't a beard right of passage to manhood or something to you people?" Ymir is leaning back in her chair, booted feet propped up on the table.

"Sure. But I'm half elf so I can get away with it. 'Sides, it's kinda hard saying I'm not a man when I'm so much larger than everyone else." Bertholdt shrugs. He wishes they'd stop staring at him, his eyes had hardly left the table's surface. He just wants to eat and go lay down, not explain something so ridiculous as to why he doesn't grow a freaking beard.

Reiner must sense this, because he strikes a riveting conversation with Eren, which starts a chain reaction of Jean and Eren disagreeing over something. _'Probably a stupid something.'_ with Armin and Marco being the voices of reason. Sasha and Connie's loud claims don't help the situation. Mikasa is starting to develop a tick; while Ymir looks on with bored disinterest. Krista looks absolutely done.

Bertholdt hurries to finish his dinner - sliding whatever he hasn't eaten to Sasha, who devours it without even looking at who gave it to her - and stealthily leaves the room before he can get sucked into whatever it is they're so excited about.

* * *

 

There's a chorus of "Good night"s outside the half closed door, before several pairs of feet proceed into the room.

Bertholdt hadn't moved from where he flopped down to rest. His legs are still off the bed, his arms still spread eagle.

"You alive buddy?" Reiner nudges him.

"Yeah. Just resting."

"FYI guys, me 'n Sasha volunteered for some hunting thing with some villagers. We'll be back tomorrow afternoon. We're leaving Laranxa in a few days right?" Connie gushes as he stuffs things into his rucksack.

"Yeah. We have all of our provisions, I'm just waiting for the shipment of medical herbs to come in. The resident doctor should be here the day after tomorrow." Eren says. "We can leave then."

"I don't care when we leave, we still have a few weeks to get to Cullasseth." Bertholdt adds.

"I would like to get home before the first frost though. Maria's winters start early." Reiner's weight on Bertl's bed makes him lean slightly toward the big blond.

"It's mid July. We'll get home well before September. October at the latest. The snows don't usually make an appearance till then. We'll be fine Reiner." Bertholdt sits up, his position no longer comfortable with him awkwardly slanted.

"Connie, look for any medical herbs when you can please." Eren requests.

"Yeah sure whatever." Connie is out the door in a flash. Not a minute later they hear Sasha curse at Connie for running her down.

Eren shuts the door and crawls onto Reiner's bed, much like the other day.

"I forgot to mention some things." he begins.

Bertl rests his forearms on his knees, Reiner sits cross legged and so does Eren.

"Wha'd you ferget?" Bertl yawns. He's more tired than he thought.

"Just some things that might clear up some things that might have not made much sense before. It's hard to explain things when most of the time your own memories aren't that reliable. Also I've subconsciously put a mental block on some memories, so..." Eren trails off. He looks slightly uncomfortable.

"When ever you're ready." Reiner says in his gentle way.

"Stohess has a new Duke now. I just found out, my dad was there a few weeks ago. They tried to put a man from the Maria area in the empty mansion, but he's a quarter dwarf so he was rejected violently. So the current duke is human, but a nonhuman sympathizer." Eren explains. It's not really relevant to anything, but Bertl can feel that it's building to something.

"Why was he rejected? I mean besides the fact that he's not considered completely human." Reiner asks.

"Because the Cult is still a heavy influence on the people. Everyone in Stohess, besides the slaves, are human. Humans have a crippling fear of the unknown and the different. So much so that it's the reason humans are so much less advanced in everything - from culture to technology - than any of the other species. Even _goblins_ are more advanced than humans." Eren slams his fist on the bed. It doesn't make much of an impact.

"Since the earthquakes started, the cult has had a tighter grip on the people. They now have the ears of several human nobility. Three kings have allowed them into their courts. Before the earthquakes, they were never taken seriously. They were quickly disbanded if they caused trouble. Now... now they get away with everything. Even murder." Eren grits his teeth.

"I've noticed that too." Reiner looks out the window as he speaks. "When I was little, some cult missionaries came to Trading Town looking for a foot hold so they can drive the dwarves from the mountain. My father said they were stupid to try to take Maria from the dwarves who've lived in peace with the humans since humans started living there." Reiner uncrosses his arms.

"I remember that too." Bertl adds. "They demanded that they give the mountain back. I - and every other dwarf - didn't understand considering dwarves have lived in the mountain since as long as anyone can remember. Long before Maria was even a mountain even. There's a legend that the dwarves wanted a mountain home, so they built one." he draws his knees in closer. "My king was agitated the whole time the cult was there. After a few unexplained murders of halflings and dwarves, they were banished from the mountain. The murders stopped when they left. I only remember that because it was the first time I wasn't allowed outside; my aunt and uncle were terrified I'd become one of the victims."

"What I'm getting at is, even with what the cult doing wrong things in every way, the majority of the human people believe they're doing the right thing. They have ears in all the right places; eyes everywhere; and the security get away with anything when they're caught." Eren goes on. "I wasn't really _given_ to the cult. They wanted me but the judge said no; but no one stopped them from taking me. No one bothered to stop them as they dragged me away. They turned a blind eye to my cries."

"If it wasn't for Levi going against Erwin's orders to get me back, I wouldn't be here." Eren looks down at his hands, they're in a tangled heap in his lap.

"Did they plan to execute you?" Bertholdt whispers.

Eren shrugs. "Eventually, I suppose. Hanji let it slip at some point that I was originally human. The cult went bat shit crazy when they heard. They said I was possessed by some evil demon or some fuckery, claiming Mikasa bewitched me. They don't understand the concept of DNA or genetics, or any science really. Like I said humans are so far behind in everything. Their doctors still think blood letting will cure diseases." Eren rolls his eyes.

"It's not like we're not willing to share medical information. Just ask." Bertholdt says.

"Tell that to the masses. King Midas is trying though..." Eren furrows his brows, "OH! I remembered the Dukes name! Pixis! Dot Pixis is the new duke of Stohess. And I heard a man named Niles... something... one of Erwin's friends from training, is the new commander of the Military Police. I believe he's one sixteenth elf."

"Is that good news?" Reiner asks.

"Yeah, I've met Pixis before. He's pretty old, but he's a very smart and kind man. Niles... well he has his heart in the right place, but he's a prick." Eren answers.

"Did Jean ever clear your name?" Bertl asks.

"No. I- yes I think he did, I'm not sure. I refuse to go any where near Stohess so I don't know anything about that shitty city unless it's from hearsay." Eren takes a deep breath.

"Jean said, when things finally calmed down and I was about to leave, that he told the judge everything. Told as many higher ups he could about what really happened. According to him Levi ordered him to do it. Whether or not Erwin knew or not doesn't matter considering it was his fault. The worst part is that he fully acknowledges it was his fault and took full responsibility. It would be nice if it weren't for his favorite motto 'for the glory of humanity' right." Eren snorts.

"Anyway, I have a feeling Erwin knew what Jean did - what Levi did - and just turned a blind eye to it. His way of 'Shit sorry dude, my bad'." Eren sighs. "Erwin isn't a bad guy, he really does have humanity's best interest at heart, but... it's _humans_ he's so adamant to protect. Sure he'll help other sentient beings; but if two villages are ablaze, one human the other... I don't know... fairy, you better believe he'll help the human village."

"Erwin's human isn't he."

"Yep. Oh, Armin informed me that the cult flipped shit when Levi revealed he's a halfling. Man I wish I was conscious to see their faces when they found out that 'Humanity's Strongest Soldier' is like Bertholdt." Eren laughs. "I forgot to mention that the other day."

"What do you mean like me?" Bertholdt lifts his head from his arms.

"Elf-dwarf hybrid. I once asked him if he ever wanted a family. He said it was impossible for him." Eren randomly comments.

"I won't go into details about what the cult did to me. But I have numerous scars from them that aren't psychological."

Bertholdt nods. He's noticed some unexplainable scars on his back that look suspiciously like whipping scars. There's also strange perfectly circular scars that go all the way around his arms and legs. He has some on his fingers too.

"Afraid that I'd transform, they'd keep me in chains so tight my limbs would go numb and I couldn't even hope to scratch myself. This guy... Kenny... or Kaney... think his name is - he told me his name, but everything's a bit fuzzy from then - would ask me questions. 'How did you become the monster that sits before me?', 'Your healing is strange, no?' 'n stuff like that. I wouldn't say a thing. I never did." Eren shudders.

"He was really interested in my healing capabilities. Especially when he found out that I have a high pain tolerance and can take a beating." Eren rolls up the sleeves of his tunic. "He... he questioned - rationalized really - that I might be able to-" Eren swallows, his hands are shaking, "to grow limbs back." he laughs with no humor or emotion. "He was right. I already knew it was possible, but I had shifted after losing my arm in Trost, so I thought I had to shift soon after the injury for it to grow back. I was wrong. I don't need to shift for things to grow back. It just hurts less to do so."

"So Kaney or Kenny or whatever that monster's name is started experimenting. He brought in this-this _doctor_." Eren spits the words. "He brought in this dude in a grimy lab coat to figure out how to reproduce my abilities so they can give it to the assassins in the cult." Eren leans in closer and adjusts his seating so the lantern light can shine on his scars. "They cut off my arms. Legs. Fingers. Toes. They scooped out my eyes. Ripped off ears. Pulled teeth." Eren has tears in his eyes, he wipes them away angrily. "If I made too much noise with my screaming and begging, or tried to escape, they whipped me."

 _'That explains the scars...'_ Bertholdt had never felt so deeply for another person before. He knew people were awful, but this... this was just... he couldn't find a words for it.

"They weren't able to figure it out. Like I said, human doctors have no concept of DNA. They don't understand how magic works, or why diseases spread. It what made my dad so irritated when he helps people. They call my dad a witch because he heals people from their sickness when all he does is give them antibiotics, or clean water." Eren leans on the head board matching Bertholdt's posture.

"After that, they just... lost interest in me. I had stopped re-growing limbs due to malnutrition. They would only feed me enough to keep me awake and semi coherent. Kenny just left me in the cell. He came back sometimes to poke at me more, but I was too weak for the reaction he was looking for." Eren stares at the ceiling.

"From what I remember, I was missing an eye that was oozing black stuff 'cuz it had gotten infected at some point. An arm." he points to his left arm where the circular scar resides. If you look closely enough you can see one arm is less tan than the other. "My leg wasn't missing, but I tried to run so Kenny snapped my ankle and didn't reset it, so it healed backwards."

"What happened next?" Reiner's voice is very low and soft.

"I don't know how many days passed that I was being tortured and then left in the cell. But eventually I heard a commotion, like someone getting their asses kicked. Then a 'I think I found him!' from who I still think was Krista. It could have been Jean or Armin for all I know. I was so out of it when Mikasa hugged me so tight I felt bones shift painfully, I could hear so many people cry." Eren lays down, then gets back up to sit cross legged again.

"Then I saw Levi and I freaked. I don't remember anything Kenny told me (and I don't ever want too) but I distinctively remember him saying things about Levi. It must have been awful - for me to react like I did. 'Oh Eren, I'm so so sorry.' Levi said. He wasn't crying - I don't think he can - but his face just... His face looked like he hadn't slept in years. He looked so _god damn sad._ " he sighs.

"I reacted badly to anyone who tried to touch me. It was like that for a long time. So when Hanji came at me with a saw and other sharp medical things I had to be sedated. What Hanji did, with the help of Armin and my dad, was cut my bad leg off so it can grow back normally (or at least it wouldn't be a problem any more considering the leg was useless anyway); cut the rest of my arm off; cleaned out my eye socket; etcetera, then was sent to be bathed. Levi bathed me with Jean's help, I remember _that_ vividly because I wouldn't let them touch me, I was still terrified. Any time I was near water during that time they would drown me, then bring me back. It's how I found out I can grow gills." Eren stops talking for a bit.

"I was on a thing called an IV - it's a medical thing where a small needle connects to a hollow tube, that connect to a bag filled with medicine. It drips the medicine into your veins over a period of time. The medicine can be anything in liquid form that can be administrated directly into your blood without harming you. It's super convenient and I was the first person to use it." Eren explains.

"Anyway, I was on an IV for my malnutrition, so everything grew and healed normally, it was an incredibly slow process. The entire time Mikasa and Armin never left my side. My dad was a constant presence too, and I was really happy to see him. Erwin was demanding answers from him - my dad is a lot like me (or maybe I'm a lot like _him_ ) in the way where I won't say a damn thing to people I don't trust - and said absolutely nothing to him. I've never seen my dad so furious before. I was afraid it was because of me, but it wasn't. He was mad at the people we all trusted to take care of me."

"I don't mean to interrupt, but how did your dad get there?" Reiner tilts his head like a curios puppy.

"I found out I was gone nearly three months before they got a lead on my location. By that time the people with us and Levi had left the Survey Corps, my friends never stopped looking, even when some lost hope of me being alive." Eren sits on his legs, Bertl adjusts to be cross legged. He's impressed with how Reiner had hardly moved this whole time. "During that time Armin was able to gain contact with my dad and he joined the search."

"Aw."

"Yeah. When I was fit for travel my dad took me, Armin and Mikasa and left without a word to anyone. Well he told Levi he was taking his children away. Jean and Marco's parents had become friends after Trost (don't ask me how) so Jean's family lives in Jinea now, so they went home. So did Sasha and Connie. I'm not sure what Ymir and Krista did considering they joined the army running away from something, but they left too. Levi eventually joined Erwin again. I heard a bunch of other people, mostly nonhumans, left too."

"Is that how you became a doctor?"

Eren nods. "Yeah. Mikasa and Armin trained too, but for some reason I was able to pick up the medical mumbo-jumbo better than them. I guess it's in my blood or something. I'm actually still learning though. If Shinganshina never happened and I never dreamed of joining the Scouting Legion, I would still be considered an apprentice doctor."

"I was taken away so I could patch up my psychological wounds. I still have night terrors and sometimes I flinch at contact. But they've abated recently, and I'm getting better. It's been about a year or two since it happened." Eren yawns and stretches.

"That's basically what happened. I mean after I started making public appearance Levi, he met up with me and gave me the inn; since we didn't have a permanent residence. He- Levi's upbringing makes it hard for him to _show_ emotion. He's as bad with words as me and Mikasa are. So he shows his emotions through actions." Eren smiles at the floor. It's small, nearly unnoticeable. "I named it the Rogue Titan because it fitted, I guess. Everyone fears titans as much as they fear witch doctors. The rogue, because it implies a difference in something. Armin actually came up with the name."

"Wait." Bertholdt slides off Reiner's bed, "What happened to the people who captured you?"

Eren is in bed already. "Levi and Mikasa killed most of them, but some got away, including Kenny."

"Oh."

"Well goodnight, it's like midnight now and I have a job in the morning." Reiner proclaims loudly throwing his shirt off.

Bertholdt does the same and goes to open the window. It super stuffy inside and Bertl hates sweating in his sleep.

"Goodnight."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI headcanon that Bertl is a bi-demisexual so yeah. (That's the word I was given when asked so, if it's wrong please let me know. I would like to be informed on these things).
> 
> Should I continues the series? I haven't gotten a single comment since I started this and my confidence in this has waned a lot since then. I mean how am I suppose to know people like it when no one says so? So if no one is interested then I'm going to stop writing this au.
> 
> As always, let me know if there's any glaring mistakes, or if things don't makes sense. My ask box on tumblr is always open! Just look for Rickylee727

**Author's Note:**

> "Ruhe" I think is German for "rest"... I was doing a lot of digging for random words and place names for three different languages, so things got mixed up [and like an idiot I didn't take note and write it down (￣へ￣井) ] "Cullasseth" is Elvish for golden-red leaf [or something like that] and I honestly only picked it because if you say it out loud, as it's spelled, it kinda sounds like "Colossal". "Umgi" I found to be Dwarvish for "humans"... I'm going to try to have Bertl say things in Dwarvish, if I can find a proper translator site. So Far it will just be random words and what not.


End file.
